Live Imaging of Ependymal Cell Ciliary Activity in a Mouse Brain Section

Source: Al Omran, A. J., et al. Live Imaging of the Ependymal Cilia in the Lateral Ventricles of the Mouse Brain. J. Vis. Exp. (2015). This video demonstrates a live-imaging technique using differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy to observe the beating of ependymal cilia in sagittal mouse brain sections. Ependymal cilia propel cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and their activity is recorded in brain sections maintained in a nutrient-rich medium and imaged in a climate-controlled chamber. High-contrast videos enable the identification of functional cilia and quantify their beating frequency.