Out with the Brain: Drosophila Whole-Brain Explant Culture
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In this chapter, we present a detailed protocol for culturing the adult Drosophila
brain ex vivo and discuss some of the possibilities this method opens up. Mature Drosophila
brains can be easily maintained in culture for a long period of time, with very little deterioration.
Explanting and culturing the brains using our technique solves the accessibility, immobilization, and visualization problems
inherent in whole animal preparations. To illustrate the utility of this method, we discuss its application as a model to
study the mechanisms of axon injury and regeneration. Until recently, axon regeneration has been studied mainly in vertebrate
model organisms and neuronal cell cultures. However, the use of invertebrate models, which are much more amenable to genetic
manipulation, shows great promise and should greatly accelerate our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of axon regeneration.
