title: Aggregating neural cell cultures.
abstract: When freshly dissociated embryonic tissues are kept under gyratory agitation, the cells aggregate to form three-dimensional spheroids in which the cells can migrate and organize themselves, attaining maximal cellular differentiation after weeks of culture. The three-dimensional architecture of the aggregates permits direct cell-to-cell interactions and the formation of a natural cell matrix, which is fundamental to the acquisition of the histotypic properties of the aggregates. This unit describes protocols for preparing forebrain cells from embryonic rodents for aggregating cultures and maintaining these cultures to the differentiated state.
authors.affiliation: University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Honegger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley