Calcium Transient Imaging as Tool for Neuronal and Glial Network Interaction Study

Signaling in neuronal networks plays a crucial role in regulating the processes of proper network formation during development and learning in the matured nervous system. Adaptation of neuronal networks to the cultured conditioning in the absence of external drive stimulates appearance of self-sustained spiking patterns without any specific stimuli. Some alteration like electrical stimulation, medium changing, metabolic activation, or depression of mature culture evokes to novel properties of spiking pattern. These properties are reversible usually and may be considered as a new function system occurring in consequence of strong stimulations. Intracellular calcium transients are the basic signaling mechanisms in nerve cells in addition to membrane potential. However, little is known about the transition of spontaneous intracellular calcium dynamics and the relationship between calcium transients and electrical activity during network development. To identify function neuronal networks in vitro we investigated spontaneous intracellular calcium transients in mouse hippocampal networks cultured on MEA for month after plating.