Studies on effects of co-culturing on the development of embryonic and postnatal cerebellar cells

Acta Physiol Hung. 1988;71(3):409-20.

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to compare the in vitro development of different cerebellar cells in primary surface cultures to that observed in their co-cultures. Single cultures of embryonic (E.19) and postnatal (P 7) cerebellar cells as well as their co-cultures were established. Changes in cell-size distribution and in high-affinity GABA-uptake were studied during the first three weeks in the different cultures. Morphological analyses showed that in single cultures of embryonic (E 19) cells a number of large and middle-size neurons survived on the top of confluent monolayer of large flattened astroglial cells. In cultures of postnatal (P 7) cerebellar cells small tetanus toxin positive non-GABAergic neurons proved to be the most abundant cell-constituents while no confluent feeder-layer of non-neuronal cells was formed. In co-cultures both embryonic and postnatal morphological features were observed but we could not observe any improvement in either survival or maturation of the neuronal types studied. A transient increase in glial GABA-uptake, however, was observed in both postnatal and co-cultures soon after plating of postnatal cerebellar cells.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn / growth & development
  • Cell Survival
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cerebellum / cytology*
  • Cerebellum / embryology
  • Cerebellum / growth & development
  • Cytological Techniques*
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid