HOME > ABOUT > TECHNIQUES

Techniques

NEUROSERVICE has a high-skilled expertise in 2 complementary electrophysiological techniques: Multi-Electrode-Arrays (MEA) & Patch-Clamp.

The assays are performed in acute brain and spinal cord slices to guarantee true neurophysiological conditions. Different types of slices are available:

Hippocampus
Ventral Tegmental Area
Locus Coeruleus
Dorsal Raphe
Periaqueductal Gray Matter
Cortical slices (temporal cortex)
Cortico-striatal slices
Striatum
Substantia Nigra
Amygdala
Cerebellum slices
Spinal cord (horizontal and parasagital slices)
Spinal cord with or without roots
Etc...

NEUROSERVICE’s laboratories have state-of- the art equipments and offer a mid-throughput capability (more than 100 slices/week with the MEA). All the studies are performed using Standard Operating Procedures and follow to high quality standards.

	Multi-Electrode-Array (MEA)	Patch-clamp
Definition	Parallel and multi-sites extra-cellular recordings within a single slice that provide an exceptional macroscopic view of neuronal networks.	The highest resolution for electrophysiological recordings from single neurons down to single channels.
What are the objectives?	- Evaluate the mechanism of action of compounds in a physiological context. - Compound screening/profiling. - Be sure of the compound safety pharmacology / CNS toxicology=> identify complex adverse effects (toxicity on neuronal networks), pro-convulsive properties… -Characterization of transgenic phenotypes.	-Evaluate the mechanism of action of compounds at the single-cell level and under physiological conditions. - Characterization of transgenic phenotypes.
Type of recordings	- Evoked-responses (fEPSP) and population spikes (PS) - Spontaneous activity (spikes). - Long-term synaptic plasticity (LTP, LTD). - Short-term synaptic plasticity. (PPF, PRS, HFS, synaptic fatigue). - Trigger of epileptic events and epileptic event genesis/ propagation.	- Whole-cell voltage clamp / current clamp recordings in acute slices. - Recordings of miniature, spontaneous or evoked postsynaptic-currents / potentials. - Activity can be evoked via fiber stimulation and agonist application (bath and local application). - Studies of short-term and long-term plasticity. - Studies of pharmacologically isolated currents.
Advantages	- Large catalog of standardized assays (derived from publications) and validated by NEUROSERVICE’s MEA laboratory. - Mid-throughput capacity: 25, 50, 100 or more slices/week depending on protocols and setups used in parallel. - Rapid process (study report usually within 2-3 weeks after compound reception).	- Large catalog of CNS structures and neuronal cell types to address effects on specific neurotransmitter systems or receptors. - Recordings allow a detailed characterization of the phenotype / compound effect. - Study design tailored to customer needs.