Stimulatory role of glial cells on the differentiation of dissociated chick embryo encephalon cells.
Dissociated cells from chick embryo encephalon of 36 h of incubation have been cultivated on fibroblast, meningeal cell, or glial layers. Within the first 24 h of cultivation, cells adhered to the preformed layers more firmly than to plastic or collagen surfaces. After 48 h of cultivation, the brain cells cultured on meningeal cell or fibroblast layers behaved very similarly to those cells cultured on plastic surfaces. But when cultured on glial layers for 3 days, the brain cells differentiated into characteristic neuroblasts, as demonstrated by specific neuronal stainings. These results support the hypothesis of a stimulatory role of glial cells in neuronal differentiation. The possible causes of this stimulatory action are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005347:Fibroblasts; D008578:Meninges; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology