Measurement of Oxygen Consumption Rate in Acute Striatal Slices from Adult Mice

Mitochondria play an important role in cellular ATP production, reactive oxygen species regulation, and Ca²⁺ concentration control. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. To study the role of mitochondria in models of these diseases, we can measure mitochondrial respiration via oxygen consumption rate (OCR) as a proxy for mitochondrial function. OCR has already been successfully measured in cell cultures, as well as isolated mitochondria. However, these techniques are less physiologically relevant than measuring OCR in acute brain slices. To overcome this limitation, the authors developed a new method using a Seahorse XF analyzer to directly measure the OCR in acute striatal slices from adult mice. The technique is optimized with a focus on the striatum, a brain area involved in PD and Huntington's disease. The analyzer performs a live cell assay using a 24-well plate, which allows the simultaneous kinetic measurement of 24 samples. The method uses circular-punched pieces of striatal brain slices as samples. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by identifying a lower basal OCR in striatal slices of a mouse model of PD. This method will be of broad interest to researchers working in the field of PD and Huntington's disease.