Studying the Regeneration of Functional Connections between Spinal Cord Slices Using a Multi-Electrode Array

Source: Heidemann, M., et al. Investigating Functional Regeneration in Organotypic Spinal Cord Co-cultures Grown on Multi-electrode Arrays. J. Vis. Exp. (2015). The video demonstrates the functional regeneration of propriospinal connections using a multi-electrode array (MEA)-based assay. The spinal cord slices are placed on the MEA and are allowed to fuse. The fused slices are mechanically separated by creating a lesion, inducing propriospinal neurons to grow over the lesion and connect the slices. The electrical activity of the slices is assessed to identify the regeneration of functional connections.