Optical methods for probing mitochondrial function in brain slices

Brain slice preparations have become useful tools for studying multiple fac ets of normal brain function and for investigations of brain pathophysiolog y. Recently, a variety of neurological disorders have been linked to dysfun ction of brain mitochondria, In this report We discuss optical methods for probing mitochondrial function in brain slices, Absorption spectrophotometr ic and spectrofluorometric techniques are described for measuring changes i n the redox activity of mitochondria! cytochromes and the primary respirato ry chain Substrate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAPH), respectively, A spectrofluorometric method is described also for measuring changes in mit ochondrial membrane potential using the potential-sensitive fluorescent ind icator JC-1. These methods used together have proven to be useful for study ing dysfunction of mitochondria following in vitro ischemia in hippocampal slices, and might also be valuable for investigations of mitochondrial invo lvement in other neurological disorders. (C) 1999 Academic Press.