The hamster hippocampal slice: I. Physiological properties.

The physiological properties of the in vitro hippocampal slice of the golden hamster are described. Hamster hippocampal tissue displays features similar to those seen in other species in terms of postsynaptic response characteristics to stimulation of monosynaptic afferents in the three primary subfields of the hippocampus. This pattern of physiological similarity supports the contention of the uniformity of hippocampal function across species, an important consideration with regard to the role of the hippocampus in brain and behavioral function. These results will permit the utilization of the hamster hippocampal slice in neurophysiological and neuroendocrine studies.