Cellular and Molecular Methods in Neuroscience Research

Adalberto Merighi, Giorgio Carmignoto, C. Cuello9780387953861, 0-387-95386-8

Analysis of the neural tissue presents unique and peculiar technical problems encountered in everyday bench work. Numerous books dealing with cellular and molecular protocols for general use in cell biology are available, but few are specifically devoted exclusively to neurobiology. Moreover, the “cross-talk” between researchers with different backgrounds, i.e. histologists, cell and molecular biologists and physiologists, is still quite difficult, and very often one remains somehow “confined” to his or her own specific field of expertise never daring to explore “mysterious” lands unless having the support of a big laboratory beyond. The general idea beyond this project was to put together the contributions from a number of well-known neuroscientists to produce a book that offers a survey of the most updated techniques for the study of nerve cells. After a long time spent doing research in the neuroscience field, and having acquired a good technical background in certain specific fields of neurobiology we have realized how difficult is to be able to step into a different technology. This book endeavors to assist in that goal.

---

Table of contents :
Contents……Page 12
Foreword……Page 8
Preface……Page 10
Contributors……Page 14
1 Analyses of Intracellular Signal Transduction Pathways in CNS Progenitor Cells……Page 16
2 Confocal and Electron Microscopic Tracking of Internalized Neuropeptides and/or Their Receptors……Page 29
3 Transfection Methods for Neurons in Primary Culture……Page 43
4 Polyethylenimine: a Versatile Cationic Polymer for Plasmid-Based Gene Delivery in the CNS……Page 51
5 Transfection of GABA[sub(A)] Receptor with GFP-Tagged Subunits in Neurons and HEK 293 Cells……Page 67
6 Neuronal Transfection Using Particle-Mediated Gene Transfer……Page 81
7 Analysis of Gene Expression in Genetically Labeled Single Cells……Page 99
8 Immunocytochemistry and In Situ Hybridization: Their Combinations for Cytofunctional Approaches of Central and Peripheral Neurons……Page 133
9 In Situ Reverse Transcription PCR for Detection of mRNA in the CNS……Page 158
10 Immunocytochemical Labeling Methods and Related Techniques for Ultrastructural Analysis of Neuronal Connectivity……Page 173
11 Combined Electrophysiological and Morphological Analyses of CNS Neurons……Page 193
12 Tract Tracing Methods at the Light Microscopic Level……Page 214
13 Tract Tracing Methods at the Ultrastructural Level……Page 231
14 In Vivo Analysis of Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in the CNS……Page 245
15 Confocal Imaging of Nerve Cells and Their Connections……Page 269
16 Confocal Imaging of Calcium Signaling in Cells from Acute Brain Slices……Page 283
A……Page 295
C……Page 296
D……Page 298
E……Page 299
F……Page 300
G……Page 301
H……Page 302
I……Page 303
K……Page 304
M……Page 305
N……Page 306
P……Page 307
R……Page 309
S……Page 310
T……Page 311
W……Page 312
Z……Page 313