Cells in neonatal rat hypothalamus primary culture--an immunofluorescence study.
Hypothalami from 1 day neonatal rats were dissociated and cultured for 4-16 days. Using immunofluorescence and antisera against neurofilament (NF) peptides, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), galactocerebroside and fibronectin we have distinguished neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and fibroblast-like cells in culture. Astrocytes initially grew as islets of 15-30 cells which dispersed as the culture aged. These cells, together with fibronectin-reactive flat cells, formed a monolayer upon which ovoid and process-bearing cells grew after 4 days in culture. Neurofilament-positive neurons constituted 5-10% of the total cell population. In maturing cultures the number of neurons decreased and fibroblasts increased. Oligodendrocytes represented less than 1% of total cell population. These studies emphasize the necessity of using the complementary techniques of morphology and immunocytochemistry for the characterization of hypothalamic neural cells in vitro.
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000166:cytology*; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D005353:Fibronectins; D005699:Galactosylceramides; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins