Methods for whole-cell recording from visually preselected neurons of perirhinal cortex in brain slices from young and aging rats

摘要: This manuscript describes methods for preparing, visualizing, and recording from healthy perirhinal cortex neurons in brain slices young aging rats. We focused on because of its role learning, memory, aging-related cognitive decline. Detailed accounts our dissection procedures are reported. Procedures that reliably yielded juvenile rats were not conducive to obtaining healthy, readily-patchable rats, suggesting a procedure-by-age interaction. Performing an intracardiac perfusion, using temperature-controlled vibratome, matching osmolarity between the cutting incubation saline, slow speed, incubating at warm temperature 30 min important when working with older tissue. Excellent visualization depths up 100 microm was achieved all ages (without tissue clearing) avoiding need record surface neurons, which more likely have truncated processes. Whole-cell recordings typically remained stable several hours prepared ages. These should benefit neuroscientists interested applying visually-guided whole-cell patch-clamp techniques slice experiments aged also facilitate application fluorescent imaging technology studying changes.