Vascular Myograph Organ Culture Model

Pressure myography provides a great tool to access regulation of vascular function ex vivo. To this end a freshly isolated artery is mounted on two glass capillaries and pressurized to physiological pressures. The regulatory mechanisms governing vascular contraction and relaxation can be studied in real time under conditions that very closely mimic the physiological environment of blood vessels. Regulation of vasomotor tone provides valuable information in the context of blood pressure regulation and data from these studies can be employed to predict in vivo effects of treatment on the vasculature. Additionally, data can provide an insight into the structural properties of the vascular wall. While pressure myography allows multiple experiments on the vasculature of a single animal, the data can not be entirely extrapolated to in vivo settings where numerous humoral influences together with the central nervous system add additional levels of complexity to the physiological regulation of vasomotor tone and blood pressure. 

_{Video images of an isolated perfused segment of a third order mesenteric artery (mouse) are analzyed using DMT MyoView software. Changes in vessel diameter as small as 1 µm can be resolved. Depicted is the response to the alpha1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine, which produces contraction of the mesenteric artery (lower panel). Note that the lumen of the perfused segment decreases while the thickness of the vessel wall increases.} 

 

Reference:

• Sporkova A, Nahar T, Cao M, Ghosh S, Sens-Albert C, Friede PAP, Nagel A, Al-Hasani J, Hecker M. Characterization of Lipoma-Preferred Partner as a Novel Mechanotransducer in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells. Cells. 2023 Sep 19;12(18):2315. doi: 10.3390/cells12182315.

 

Contact:

Prof. Markus Hecker, Abteilung Herz- und Kreislaufphysiologie 

E-Mail: hecker(at)physiologie.uni-heidelberg.de

 

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Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures

A more complex biological system for studying physiological and pathophysiological aspects, including disease mechanisms are “organ cultures”. In particular, we have been using and improving the cultivation of tissue slices from the hippocampus, a well-studied brain region involved in perception and learning. These “organotypic hippocampal slice cultures” are prepared from rat or mouse pups in sterile conditions and can be mainained for several weeks in an incubator. The cultured slices widely maintain the natural composition of different types of neurons and glial cells, including cytoarchitecture. 

Slice cultures can be used for a variety of experimental applications such as studying the mechanisms underlying synaptic transmission, neuronal energy metabolism and/or neuroinflammation. They permit exposure to various ligands such as bacterial components or anti-inflammatory  drugs over days. The use of slice cultures replaces animal experiments (Replacement). Moreover, it significantly reduces the number of animals used (Reduction) because ten to twelve high quality cultured slices, and thus independent experiments, can be derived from one animal. 

_{Studying synaptic transmission in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures. A. Three slice cultures on a Biopore membrane. B. Electrophysiological recordings of the local field potential in the CA3 region of slice cultures. C. Neuronal network activity in the gamma-frequency band (30-70 Hz). The figure was compiled from Söder et. al., J Neurochem,  Oct 2025.} 

References:

• Söder L, Baeza-Lehnert F, Khodaie B, Elgez A, Noack L, Lewen A, Hallermann S, Poschet G, Borges K, Kann, O. Lactate Transport via Glial MCT1 and Neuronal MCT2 Is Not Required for Synchronized Synaptic Transmission in Hippocampal Slices Supplied With Glucose. J Neurochem. 2025 Oct; 169(10):e70251. doi: 10.1111/jnc.70251.
• Ta TT, Dikmen HO, Schilling S, Chaussee B, Lewen A, Hollnagel JO, Kann, O. Priming of microglia with IFN-γ slows neuronal gamma oscillations in situ. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2019 Mar 5;116(10):4637-4642. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1813562116.
• Schneider J, Lewen A, Ta TT, Galow LV, Isola R, Papageorgiou IE, Kann, O. A reliable model for gamma oscillations in hippocampal tissue. J Neurosci Res. 2015 Jul;93(7):^067-78. doi: 10.1002/jnr.23590.
• Stoppini L, Buchs PA, Muller D. A simple method for organotypic cultures of nervous tissue. J Neurosci Methods 1991 April;37(2):173-82. doi: 10.1016/0165-0270(91)901-M. 

 

Contact:

Prof. Oliver Kann, Abteilung Allgemeine Neurophysiologie

E-Mail: oliver.kann(at)physiologie.uni-heidelberg.de