A serum- and antioxidant-free primary culture model of XXXX cortical neurons for pharmacological screen and studies of neurotrophic and neuroprotective agents.

@entity2227 @entity9327 @entity19 @entity98 @entity3390
1. Morphologically developmental properties of fetal @entity19 cortical neurons in the chemically defined serum- and antioxidant-free culture condition were observed. Also, cellular composition in cultures was identified by immunostaining with anti-NSE and anti- @entity9327 . 2. Various cell densities ranging from 1 x 10(3) to 1 x 10(6) cells/cm2 were prepared to further assess the effect of cell density on time-course of neuronal survival by counting the number of remaining attached neurons after 3 and 7 days in culture. 3. Neuronal responses to neurotrophic effect of NGF on neurite outgrowth and neuroprotective effect of @entity3390 against @entity2227 -induced excitotoxity were evaluated by image analysis and @entity98 assay, respectively. 4. Results showed that this culture system was neuronal-enriched with a neuronal lifetime more than 35 days. Neurons survived best when seeded at a density > or =1.5 x 10(5) cells/cm2. Cultured neurons were capable of exhibiting sensitive responses to the effects of NGF and @entity3390 . 5. These findings suggest that this primary culture system provides a sensitive and powerful in vitro model for pharmacological screen and studies of neurotrophic and neuroprotective agents.
