title: Isolation and age-related characterization of mouse Schwann cells from dorsal root ganglion explants in type I collagen gels.
abstract: A technique for isolation of adult Schwann cells (ScC) from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) is described. Decapsulated DRG explants embedded into type I collagen gels were cultured for 3 days in serum-free medium during which ScC migrated from the explant. These explants were then grown in serum-supplemented medium to allow ScC proliferation. On day 10 the number of ScC isolated from DRG explants per mouse was about 2.5 x 10(5), and the purity was greater than 95%. This culture system provided sufficient numbers of highly purified adult ScC in a shorter culture period (2-3 times) than other methods. We used ScC from this method to determine the age-related changes in attachment, growth, and survival of ScC cultured in serum-free medium. The attachment capacity of adult ScC on type I collagen or polylysine was similar to that of newborn ScC. However, the collagen promoted growth and survival of adult ScC but not that of neonatal ScC, indicating age-related differences of ScC properties in vitro.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Yokohama City University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hikawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takenaka
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D002470:Cell Survival; D003094:Collagen; D003470:Culture Media; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology*; D005782:Gels; D051379:Mice; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005782:Gels; D003094:Collagen