Preparation, maintenance, and use of serum-free aggregating brain cell cultures.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_AB1CFAE11B60
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Preparation, maintenance, and use of serum-free aggregating brain cell cultures.
Journal
Methods in Molecular Biology
Author(s)
Honegger P., Defaux A., Monnet-Tschudi F., Zurich M.G.
ISSN
1940-6029 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1064-3745
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Volume
758
Pages
81-97
Language
english
Abstract
Serum-free aggregating brain cell cultures are free-floating three-dimensional primary cell cultures able to reconstitute spontaneously a histotypic brain architecture to reproduce critical steps of brain development and to reach a high level of structural and functional maturity. This culture system offers, therefore, a unique model for neurotoxicity testing both during the development and at advanced cellular differentiation, and the high number of aggregates available combined with the excellent reproducibility of the cultures facilitates routine test procedures. This chapter presents a detailed description of the preparation, maintenance, and use of these cultures for neurotoxicity studies and a comparison of the developmental characteristics between cultures derived from the telencephalon and cultures derived from the whole brain. For culture preparation, mechanically dissociated embryonic brain tissue is used. The initial cell suspension, composed of neural stem cells, neural progenitor cells, immature postmitotic neurons, glioblasts, and microglial cells, is kept in a serum-free, chemically defined medium under continuous gyratory agitation. Spherical aggregates form spontaneously and are maintained in suspension culture for several weeks. Within the aggregates, the cells rearrange and mature, reproducing critical morphogenic events, such as migration, proliferation, differentiation, synaptogenesis, and myelination. For experimentation, replicate cultures are prepared by the randomization of aggregates from several original flasks. The high yield and reproducibility of the cultures enable multiparametric endpoint analyses, including "omics" approaches.
Keywords
Animals, Brain/cytology, Cell Aggregation, Cell Culture Techniques, Cells, Cultured, Culture Media, Serum-Free, Embryo, Mammalian/cytology, Female, Neurons/cytology, Pregnancy, Rats
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
20/02/2012 17:24
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:15
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