Artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) is a

buffer solution A buffer solution (more precisely, pH buffer or hydrogen ion buffer) is an aqueous solution consisting of a mixture of a weak acid and its conjugate base, or vice versa. Its pH changes very little when a small amount of strong acid or base is ...

prepared with a composition representative of

cerebrospinal fluid Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates. CSF is produced by specialised ependymal cells in the choroid plexus of the ventricles of the bra ...

that is used experimentally to immerse

isolated brain An isolated brain is a brain kept alive in vitro, either by perfusion or by a blood substitute, often an oxygenated solution of various salts, or by submerging the brain in oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is the biological ...

s, brain slices, or exposed brain regions to supply

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...

, maintain

osmolarity Osmotic concentration, formerly known as osmolarity, is the measure of solute concentration, defined as the number of osmoles (Osm) of solute per litre (L) of solution (osmol/L or Osm/L). The osmolarity of a solution is usually expressed as Osm/L ...

, and to buffer pH at biological levels. ACSF is commonly used for

electrophysiology Electrophysiology (from Greek , ''ēlektron'', "amber" etymology of "electron"">Electron#Etymology">etymology of "electron" , ''physis'', "nature, origin"; and , '' -logia'') is the branch of physiology that studies the electrical properties of b ...

experiments to maintain the

neuron A neuron, neurone, or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell that communicates with other cells via specialized connections called synapses. The neuron is the main component of nervous tissue in all animals except sponges and placozoa. N ...

s that are being studied.

Composition

One protocol for electrophysiology recording suggests the following composition for aCSF, with the pH and oxygen level stabilized by bubbling with

carbogen Carbogen, also called Meduna's Mixture after its inventor Ladislas J. Meduna, Ladislas Meduna, is a mixture of carbon dioxide and oxygen gas. Meduna's original formula was 30% CO2 and 70% oxygen, but the term carbogen can refer to any mixture of t ...

(95% O and 5% CO): * 127 mM NaCl * 1.0 mM KCl * 1.2 mM KH₂PO₄ * 26 mM NaHCO₃ * 10 mM D-glucose * 2.4 mM CaCl₂ * 1.3 mM MgCl₂

References

{{Neuroscience-stub Neurophysiology Electrophysiology Laboratory techniques