Cells separated from tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) make up primary neuronal cell cultures (PNS). They are ideal as a model system for studying isolated cellular mechanisms because they preserve the majority of the physiological and biochemical characteristics of in situ neurons and are free from the influences of the microvasculature. When compared to the phenotypes of a continuously cultivated cell line, these cells retain a phenotype that is present in vivo in terms of morphological, neurochemical, and electrophysiological features. The procedure of isolating and preparing primary rat neurons will be the focus of this workshop as well as investigating a wide range of manipulating neuronal circuitry. We will talk about the things to keep in mind when employing cultured neurons and how culture conditions can be optimized to observe the mechanisms of interest. Individual neuronal cell types mature at various rates in different brain regions as the central nervous system develops. As a result, the developmental age of the animal is essential in obtaining optimal cell cultures from different brain regions.  

Nikola Pavlović graduated from the Faculty of Science, at the University of Zagreb. Currently, Nikola is enrolled in the Translational Research in Biomedicine graduate program at the University of Split, School of Medicine, and he is working at MedILS as a Ph.D. student in the Biology of robustness group led by dr. sc. Katarina Trajković, on the project called: „Cellular parabiosis: the role of cell-to-cell communication in phenotypic suppression.”