ABSTRACT
The brain slice technique was first applied to metabolic studies of small tissue sections as early as 1920. The real advantage of the slice is its accessibility, especially the visibility of structures such as cell body layers. The most satisfying validation of slice phenomena has been the general finding that in vitro studies are similar to in vivo investigations. The assessment of electrical parameters of slices depends very much on the characteristics of the particular cells within the tissue and varies from brain region to brain region. The combination of slices with the tissue culture technique has resulted in the development of organotypic cultures. This technique has been made available for different brain regions by B. H. Gahwiler who standardized the method in several aspects, including embedding material and culturing media. Additionally, tissue from other areas in the brain or the periphery can be cocultured with the slice.
