Understanding how drug candidates affect neuronal function within intact neural circuits is a critical step in central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery. Brain slice electrophysiology provides a physiologically relevant platform for investigating compound effects on neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission and network activity in intact brain tissue.

Unlike isolated or cultured cells, brain slices maintain functional neuronal connectivity and local circuitry, enabling a more physiologically relevant assessment of compound effects. This allows researchers to gain valuable insight into ion channel function, synaptic transmission, neuronal firing and overall excitatory activity within a controlled experimental environment.

By bridging the gap between reductionist cell-based assays and in vivo models, brain slice electrophysiology studies play an important role in target validation, mechanism of action investigations and compound optimisation. These studies can increase confidence in candidate progression decisions and improve the likelihood of successful therapeutic outcomes.

Metrion combines extensive ion channel expertise with specialist neuroscience capabilities to deliver high-quality brain slice electrophysiology studies for CNS drug discovery programmes.

Our scientists have extensive experience performing manual patch clamp recordings across multiple brain regions, enabling detailed investigation of neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission and circuit-level pharmacology in physiologically relevant tissue preparations.

Our brain slice assay capabilities provide:

• Gold-standard manual patch clamp electrophysiology
• Acute brain slice recordings from multiple CNS regions
• Assessment of intrinsic neuronal firing properties
• Analysis of spontaneous and evoked synaptic responses
• Synaptic transmission and plasticity studies
• Mechanism of action investigations
• Expert scientific interpretation from experienced electrophysiologists
• Flexible study designs tailored to specific CNS targets and therapeutic areas

By generating high-quality functional data in intact neural circuits, Metrion helps clients improve confidence in target validation, compound progression decisions and translational neuroscience research.

Our expertise

• Electrophysiological recordings: Metrion has extensive experience in manual patch clamp electrophysiology across a range of brain regions. These studies provide detailed insight into the electrophysiological properties of neurons and their response to pharmacological intervention.
• Experimental focus: Our studies investigate both passive and active membrane properties, enabling detailed characterisation of neuronal currents, excitability and firing behaviour. We also evaluate synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity to understand how compounds influence communication between neurons and neural network function.

Acute brain slice electrophysiology

Electrophysiological studies performed using freshly prepared rodent brain slices, enabling investigation of neuronal and synaptic function within intact neural circuits.

Diverse electrophysiological endpoints

Endpoints can include:

• Intrinsic firing properties
• Resting membrane characteristics
• Action potential generation
• Neuronal excitability
• Spontaneous synaptic activity
• Evoked synaptic responses
• Synaptic transmission
• Synaptic plasticity
• Pharmacological modulation of neuronal circuits

Flexible study design

Studies can be tailored to specific targets, mechanisms, disease areas and compound classes to support discovery, translational and mechanistic neuroscience programmes.

Brain slice electrophysiology studies can support:

• CNS drug discovery
• Mechanism of action studies
• Target validation
• Ion channel pharmacology
• Synaptic pharmacology
• Lead optimisation
• Translational neuroscience research
• Epilepsy research
• Pain research
• Neurodegenerative disease research
• Neuropsychiatric disorder research

What are brain slice tissue assays?

Brain slice tissue assays use thin sections of freshly prepared brain tissue to investigate neuronal and synaptic function while preserving native brain architecture and connectivity.

Why use brain slice electrophysiology instead of cultured neurons?

Brain slices retain neuronal networks, synaptic connections and local circuit organisation that are often lost in dissociated cell culture systems, providing a more physiologically relevant model for studying CNS pharmacology and neuronal function.

What electrophysiology techniques does Metrion use?

Metrion primarily uses gold-standard manual patch clamp electrophysiology to investigate neuronal excitability, ion channel activity, synaptic transmission and pharmacological responses within brain slice preparations.

What endpoints can be measured in brain slice assays?

Endpoints include intrinsic firing properties, action potential generation, spontaneous and evoked synaptic responses, neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity.

Which therapeutic areas can brain slice studies support?

Brain slice electrophysiology studies can support programmes focused on epilepsy, pain, neurodegenerative diseases, neuropsychiatric disorders and other CNS indications where neuronal and synaptic function are important drivers of disease biology.

How do brain slice assays support CNS drug discovery?

Brain slice assays provide mechanistic insight into compound effects within intact neural circuits, helping researchers understand target biology, evaluate pharmacological activity and make more informed compound progression decisions.