Detecting autophagy in neurons during nutrient deprivation and after dynamic stretch-induced injury in vitro. Primary cortical neurons from GFP-LC3+/−transgenic mice were subjected to nutrient deprivation (media without glucose, pyruvate, glutamate, glycine, aspartate, or fatty acids) or dynamic stretch (4.7 psi × 100 ms, ~50% strain). Autophagosomes are identified by discrete, high fluorescent intensity, punctuate labeling (arrows).