title: Culture and characterization of rat mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons.
abstract: Dopaminergic neuronal cell degeneration is the principal characteristic feature of the neuropathology of Parkinson's disease. Cultures of mesencephalic neurons are widely used as a source of dopaminergic neurons for the study of mechanisms implicated in dopaminergic cell death and for the evaluation of potential dopaminergic neuroprotective agents, including neurotrophic factors. This chapter presents a detailed protocol for the preparation of rat mesencephalic cell cultures and their application to evaluating the neuroprotective action of brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Anesthesiology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. stephen.skaper@unipd.it
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Skaper
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mercanti
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Facci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods*; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005453:Fluorescence; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D014316:Tritium