Cornucopia of cultured Schwann cells: where is the best source in albino rats?
BACKGROUND
Schwann Cells (SC) are multifunctional glia cells with diversified biological potentials. To study their biological activities, ample amount of cultured SC is a pre-requisite. Many sources have been exploited in the past for SC culture but unfortunately no attempt has been made to find the richest source.


METHODS
To make an attempt in this direction, we cultured SC under identical conditions from various neural sites in the neonate & young SD albino rats. Fresh, cryopreserved & pre-stimulated neural tissues have been compared for total & % of SC/unit tissue from the combined data of living & immunostained cultures.


RESULTS
Our data shows that the upper limb nerves have not only quantitative advantage (2.35 x 10(4) cells/mg tissue) but also have significant qualitative edge (P < .05-.01) over the remaining sources. It can be concluded from our data that upper limb nerves are the best available source for SC/unit tissue.
Mirajullah
M
M
Department of Anatomy, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad.
Xinya
S
S
Caidong
L
L
Yujiang
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000166:cytology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000166:cytology*