Long-term survival and sprouting in culture by motoneurons isolated from the spinal cord of adult frogs.
Motoneurons of adult frog spinal cord have been retrogradely labeled with the carbocyanine derivative diI. Spinal cords were then dissociated and the labeled motoneurons partially purified by centrifugation over a bovine serum albumin (BSA) density gradient. The resulting cell suspension was plated on a substrate of innervated muscle extracellular matrix (ECM) to which the motoneurons attached and extended processes. Labeled adult motoneurons survived for more than 4 weeks in a defined medium in the absence of added serum or growth factors. These cultures of adult motoneurons provide a favorable preparation for studying molecular factors that influence process outgrowth and synapse formation.
Kuffler
D P
DP
Department of Pharmacology, Biocenter of the University, Basel, Switzerland.
D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport; D002232:Carbocyanines; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005109:Extracellular Matrix; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011894:Rana pipiens; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*
D002232:Carbocyanines; D003470:Culture Media; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; C024286:3,3'-dioctadecylindocarbocyanine