A tissue culture model for the study of peptide synthesis and secretion from microdissected hypothalamic explants

Using established tissue culture methodology, a protocol has been developed for the culture of specific hypothalamic regions. A microdissection technique is used to remove the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclear regions from fresh tissue. These explants are maintained in culture and appear to be viable on the basis of several criteria: the continuing presence of peptides in both tissue and media, the ability to incorporate a labeled amino acid precursor into proteins and peptides, the histological appearance using phase contrast microscopy, and the immunocytochemical identification of peptide neurons. This tissue culture model may prove useful in the study of neuroendocrine mechanisms in specific brain regions.