Neuronal medium that supports basic synaptic functions and activity of human neurons in vitro

264Citations
Citations of this article
848Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Human cell reprogramming technologies offer access to live human neurons from patients and provide a new alternative for modeling neurological disorders in vitro. Neural electrical activity is the essence of nervous system function in vivo. Therefore, we examined neuronal activity in media widely used to culture neurons. We found that classic basal media, as well as serum, impair action potential generation and synaptic communication. To overcome this problem, we designed a new neuronal medium (BrainPhys basal + serum-free supplements) in which we adjusted the concentrations of inorganic salts, neuroactive amino acids, and energetic substrates. We then tested that this medium adequately supports neuronal activity and survival of human neurons in culture. Long-term exposure to this physiological medium also improved the proportion of neurons that were synaptically active. The medium was designed to culture human neurons but also proved adequate for rodent neurons. The improvement in BrainPhys basal medium to support neurophysiological activity is an important step toward reducing the gap between brain physiological conditions in vivo and neuronal models in vitro.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Bardy, C., Van Den Hurk, M., Eames, T., Marchand, C., Hernandez, R. V., Kellogg, M., … Gage, F. H. (2015). Neuronal medium that supports basic synaptic functions and activity of human neurons in vitro. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(20), E2725–E2734. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1504393112

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free