The study of influencing factors on the growth characters of Sprague-Dawley rat retinal neurons in vitro.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influencing factors in culturing Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats retinal neurons in order to lay foundation for further experimental research.


METHODS
Retinal cells were plated on plastic plates and coverslips coated with poly-l-lysine or ethylene imine polymer for primary culture. The cultured cells were divided into following groups: 1. Culture medium changed every 2 to 3 days vs changed only once; 2. Cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) added to the culture medium vs not added. The cells were observed and pictured under inverted phase contrast microscope. The cells were identified through immunocytochemistry.


RESULTS
The immunofluorescence showed that most of the cultured cells were neurons, among them were a few retinal ganglion cells. In the cultured group of which substrata coated with poly-l-lysine and culture medium added with Ara-c, the neurons intended to aggregate into clusters with relatively straight neurites. In the group of which substrata coated with ethylene imine polymer and medium added with Ara-c, the neurons grew dispersively with bent neurites. Both of them survived for 2 to 3 weeks. The cells which plated in the medium not added with Ara-c did not aggregate into clusters and survived longer than 4 weeks. In the group of which medium changed several times, the survival time of neurons was shorter than that in the medium changed only once.


CONCLUSIONS
The retinal neurons plated on the substrata coated with ethylene imine polymer are easy to observe because of its dispersive growth. It is not favorable for the growth of the neurons by changing culture medium many times. Ara-c may possibly have side effect on the growth of retinal neurons.
Liu
H
H
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Ge
J
J
Guo
Y
Y
Yang
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D001388:Aziridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016501:Neurites; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D011108:Polymers; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development
D001388:Aziridines; D011108:Polymers; D003561:Cytarabine