title: Effect of Müller cells on the survival and neuritogenesis in retinal ganglion cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are the first affected cells in neuropathies like glaucoma, for that reason it is very important to explore new methods to neuroprotect these neurons. Müller cells are glial cells that provide the neurons with trophic factors and scaffold. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of Müller cells on survival and neurite formation in RGCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat Müller cells were grown until a confluent culture on which rat RGCs were added, using pure culture of rat RGCs as controls. RGCs were labeled with βIII-tubulin, and Müller cells with glutamine synthetase antibodies. In addition, nuclei were stained with DAPI. The number of RGCs and number and neurite length were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were found in the number of RGCs between control and cells grown on the substrate of Müller cells. The proportion of RGCs with neurites increased when they grew on Müller (RGCs with 1-3 neurites increased from 19% to 43%. The length of neurites also increased in RGCs grown on Müller cells, with the number of RGCs with neurites from 50 to 200μm increasing from 21% to 41%, and with neurites of more than 200μm the increase was from 6% to 20%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Müller cells support the survival of RGCs and induced an increase in the number and length of neurites of RGCs.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España; Grupo de Oftalmo Biología Experimental, España.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ruzafa
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Bilbao, Vizcaya, España; Grupo de Oftalmo Biología Experimental, España. Electronic address: elena.vecino@ehu.es.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vecino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D063928:Ependymoglial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016501:Neurites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
keywords: Células de Müller; Células ganglionares de la retina; Müller cells; Neuritogenesis.; Neuritogénesis.; Retinal ganglion cells; Supervivencia; Survival