The factors limiting axonal growth in the mature CNS are poorly understood. It has been shown that the neural cell adhesion molecule VASE exon (variable alternative spliced exon) is one of the factors that may account for the downregulation of neurite outgrowth. Here we demonstrate that the developmental upregulation of the VASE exon is preserved in slice cultures of hippocampus, making these cultures a useful model to study the regulation of VASE and age-dependent growth processes in an organotypic environment.