[Changes of intracellular calcium level in hippocampal slice neurons: a confocal laser scanning microscopic study]

In this study, the fluorescent dye Fluo-3 (AM) was applied to rat hippocampus by microinjection, to label neurons in situ. A large number of CA1 pyramidal cells could be labeled by a single injection. With this improvement of labeling and the use of the confocal laser scanning microscope (Leica Lasetechnik GmbH), changes of calcium fluorescence intensity in CA1 pyramidal cells of rat hippocampal slices on the models of mimic epilepsy (induced by penicillin or glutamate) or hypoglycemia/hypoxia were studied in vitro. The results showed that in magnesium free artificial CSF, the intracellular calcium level of the CA1 pyramidal cells increased following application of glutamate or penicillin. Similar phenomenon was also observed on the in vitro model to hypoglycemia/hypoxia.