Alpha-tocopherol supports the survival and neurite extension of neurons cultured from various regions of fetal rat brain.
The effects of alpha-tocopherol on neurons of fetal rat brain were studied in tissue culture. alpha-Tocopherol supported the survival and enhanced neurite extension of neurons cultured from cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and septum. The survival effect was observed at concentrations of 10(-9) to 10(-6) M. More than 60% of the cortical neurons could survive for 9 days at 10(-7) or 10(-6) M alpha-tocopherol, whereas almost all neurons died within 2 days in its absence. These results suggest that alpha-tocopherol may be involved in mechanisms regulating neuronal survival and neurite formation in the central nervous system, and indicate that alpha-tocopherol may be an excellent reagent to facilitate neuronal survival in culture.
Nakajima
M
M
Biochemical Research Laboratory, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
Kashiwagi
K
K
Hayashi
Y
Y
Saito
M
M
Kawashima
T
T
Furukawa
S
S
Kobayashi
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014343:Trypan Blue; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014810:Vitamin E; D014343:Trypan Blue