Topic: organotypic slice cultures

Globular bushy cells in the cochlear nucleus of the auditory brainstem circuit are responsible for the fast relay of signals to the superior olivary complex. Their axons possess a low internode length/axon diameter ratio (L/D) of ~60 that allow action potentials to travel along their axons with exceptional speed and precision. We investigate how the unusual myelination pattern develops. Recently, we showed that the internode length is determined early in development followed – after hearing onset - by an increase in axon diameter, which causes the L/D ratio to decrease. Additionally, we found

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are characterized by cerebellar atrophy and the degeneration of Purkinje neurons resulting from mutations in various genes. Specifically, in SCA14, the disease is caused by point mutations or deletions in the protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ) gene. PKCγ is a serine/threonine kinase predominantly expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells, and plays a crucial role in the regulation of synapse formation and dendritic development of Purkinje cells. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these processes are not fully understood yet. In this project, our aim is to investi

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a frequent, treatment resistant adult brain tumour which is classified as a grade IV glioma (Louis et al., 2016). To date treatment options for glioblastoma brain tumours are limited and no reliable markers are available to distinguish migratory active from resting glioblastoma cells. Here, we investigated the rat glioblastoma cell line C6 and their invasive behaviour on living brain tissue, represented by rat hippocampal slice cultures. We established a model system where brain tissue (represented by organotypic slice cultures) is overlayed with fluorescently labelled gl