Glial-conditioned medium and attachment to ConA are essential for long-term culture of cortical neurons.
Cortical brain cells from 14-day-old mouse embryos were seeded on various substrates and cultivated in serum-free medium with or without conditioned medium from astrocytes or C6 glioma cells. Poly-L-lysine was shown to be the best substrate for cell attachment followed by Concanavalin A (ConA) and adhesion particles derived from glia cells. Cells grown on ConA sprouted rapidly and formed large networks. Survival of neurons was greatly prolonged when glia-conditioned medium (GCM) was present in the culture medium. Cells grown on ConA were then viable for more than 4 weeks. Without GCM, neurons survived in culture for about 2 weeks, regardless of the substrate. Endothelial cell growth supplement or acidic fibroblast growth factor increased survival of neurons but also stimulated proliferation of astrocytes.
Bauer
H C
HC
Inst. f. Molekularbiologie, Salzburg, Austria.
Tontsch
U
U
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism*
D006133:Growth Substances; D003208:Concanavalin A