Neuroscience JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Dual Electrophysiological Recordings of Synaptically-evoked Astroglial and Neuronal Responses in Acute Hippocampal Slices

Name: Dual Electrophysiological Recordings of Synaptically-evoked Astroglial and Neuronal Responses in Acute Hippocampal Slices
Uploaded: 2026-06-17
Duration: 16 min 38 s
Description: Astrocytes form together with neurons tripartite synapses, where they integrate and modulate neuronal activity. Indeed, astrocytes sense neuronal inputs ...

DOI: 10.3791/4418-v

What you'll learn

✓ Prepare acute hippocampal slices from isolated brain tissue for electrophysiology
✓ Perform simultaneous dual whole-cell recordings from astrocytes and neurons
✓ Isolate and characterize astroglial K+ and glutamate transporter currents pharmacologically

Protocol

The preparation of acute brain slices from isolated hippocampi, as well as the simultaneous electrophysiological recordings of astrocytes and neurons in stratum radiatum during stimulation of schaffer collaterals is described. The pharmacological isolation of astroglial potassium and glutamate transporter currents is demonstrated.

Difficulty

advanced

Total time

~3–4 hours per animal (dissection ~45 min, slice preparation ~30 min, recordings ~2 hrs)

Model organism

Mouse (unspecified strain)

Biosafety

BSL-1

Steps

Dissect hippocampus from isolated brain

Remove brain tissue and isolate hippocampi under dissection microscope. Prepare tissue for acute slicing.

▶ 03:58

Record neuronal fEPSP and astrocytic whole-cell response

Perform dual electrophysiological recordings from stratum radiatum during Schaffer collateral stimulation, capturing field recordings from neurons and whole-cell currents from astrocytes simultaneously.

▶ 10:23

Obtain dual whole-cell recordings from astrocyte and neuron

Establish simultaneous whole-cell voltage clamp or current clamp configurations on both astrocyte and neuron pairs in the same field during evoked synaptic activity.

▶ 12:07

Analyze representative results and transporter currents

Review recorded traces demonstrating synaptically-evoked responses and pharmacological isolation of K+ and glutamate transporter currents in astrocytes.

▶ 13:53

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