Research Methods in Neurochemistry: Volume 6 [Paperback]

Section I Ultrastructure and Fragmentation of Neural Tissues.- 1 Techniques for Neurochemical Research on the Retina.- I. The Retina as a Neurochemical Model.- II. Structure, Function, and Species Differences.- A. General Structure and Function.- B. Retinal Vascularization and the Blood-Retinal Barrier.- C. Photoreceptor Cells and the Fovea.- D. Photoreceptor Outer Segment Turnover and Phagocytosis by the Pigment Epithelium.- E. The Visual Pigments.- F. The Visual Cycle.- III. Functional Stimulation of the Retina.- A. Photoreceptor Function: Stimulating Rods and Cones.- B. Monitoring Retinal Function: The Electroretinogram.- C. Working with a Dark-Adapted Retina.- IV. Studying the Retina in Vivo.- A. Intravitreal Injection.- B. Vitreal Perfusion.- C. Retinal Superfusion.- V. The Retina in Vitro.- A. Enucleation.- B. Eyes and Eye-Cups in Vitro.- C. Isolating the Retina.- D. Quantifying the Retina.- E. Maintenance of the Retina in Vitro.- F. Retinal Culture.- G. Techniques for Isolating and Studying the Retinal Pigment Epithelium.- VI. Fractionation of the Retina.- A. Retinal Fractionation by Cell Degeneration.- B. The Separation and Isolation of Retinal Cells.- C. Subcellular Fractionation of the Retina.- D. Tangential Sectioning of the Retina.- VII. Rhodopsin.- A. Assaying Rhodopsin.- B. Optimizing Rhodopsin and Quantifying Opsin.- References.- 2 Isolation of Cells from Frozen Brain Tissue and Storage of Isolated Cells in the Frozen State.- I. Introduction.- II. Events Occurring during Freezing of Cells: The Use of Cryopreservatives to Minimize Freezing Damage.- III. Isolation of Cells from Frozen Brain Tissue and Freezing of Isolated Oligodendroglia.- A. Isolation of Oligodendroglial Perikarya from Whole Brain Stored at -30 or -80?C.- B. Isolation of Cells from Cryopreservative-Treated Gray and White Matter.- C. Freezing of Isolated Cells in the Presence of Cryopreservative.- IV. Properties of Isolated Cells: Assessment of Preservation of Cytoplasm.- A. Morphology lcĄ