Survival and death of mature avian motoneurons in organotypic slice culture: Trophic requirements for survival and different types of degeneration

We have developed an organotypic culture technique that uses slices of chick embryo spinal cord, in which trophic requirements for long‐term survival of mature motoneurons (MNs) were studied. Slices were obtained from E16 chick embryos and maintained for up to 28 days in vitro (DIV) in a basal medium. Under these conditions, most MNs died. To promote MN survival, 14 different trophic factors were assayed. Among these 14, glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor were the most effective. GDNF was able to promote MN survival for at least 28 DIV. K+ depolarization or caspase inhibition prevented MN death but also induced degenerative‐like changes in rescued MNs. Agents that elevate cAMP levels promoted the survival of a proportion of MNs for at least 7 DIV. Examination of dying MNs revealed that, in addition to cells exhibiting a caspase‐3‐dependent apoptotic pattern, some MNs died by a caspase‐3‐independent mechanism and displayed autophagic vacuoles, an extremely convoluted nucleus, and a close association with microglia. This organotypic spinal cord slice culture may provide a convenient model for testing conditions that promote survival of mature‐like MNs that are affected in late‐onset MN disease such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J. Comp. Neurol. 501:669–690, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.