1- Neuroscience Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Introduction: Midbrain dopaminergic neurons are involved in various brain functions, including motor behavior, reinforcement, motivation, learning, and cognition. Primary dopaminergic neurons and also several lines of these cells are extensively used in cell culture studies. Primary dopaminergic neurons prepared from rodents have been cultured in both DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums in several studies. However, there is no document reporting the comparison of these two mediums. So in this study, we evaluated the neurons and astroglial cells in primary midbrain neurons from rat embryos cultured in DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums.
Methods: Primary mesencephalon cells were prepared from the E14.5 rat embryo. Then they were seeded in two different mediums ( Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 [DMEM/F12] and neurobasal). On day 3 and day 5, half of the medium was replaced with a fresh medium. On day 7, β3-tubulin-, GFAP (Glial fibrillary acidic protein)- and Tyrosine Hydroxylase TH-positive cells were characterized as neurons, astrocytes, and dopaminergic neurons, respectively, using immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, the morphology of the cells in both mediums was observed under light microscopy on days 1, 3, and 5.
Results: The cells cultured in both mediums were similar under light microscopy regarding the cell number, but in a neurobasal medium, the cells have aggregated and formed clustering structures. Although GFAP-immunoreactive cells were lower in neurobasal compared to DMEM/F12, the number of β3-tubulin- and TH-positive cells in both cultures was the same.
Conclusion: This study’s findings demonstrated that primary midbrain cells from the E14.5 rat embryo could grow in both DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums. Therefore, considering the high price of a neurobasal medium, it can be replaced with DMEM/F12 for culturing primary dopaminergic neurons.
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Highlights
● Rat primary mesencephalon neurons were cultured in DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums.
● GFAP-immunoreactive cell number was lower in neurobasal compared to DMEM/F12.
● The number of β3-tubulin- and TH-positive cells was the same in both cultures.
● Primary midbrain cells can grow in both DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums.
Plain Language Summary
Dopaminergic neurons are involved in various brain functions, like motor behaviors, and are extensively used in cell culture studies. In this study, we compared dopaminergic neurons and glial cells from mesencephalon tissue of rat embryos in DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums. The morphology of the cells in both mediums was observed under light microscopy on day 7 after culturing. The number of the cells was similar in both mediums, however, the cells in the neurobasal medium formed aggregated clustering structures. As expected, the number of GFAP-immunoreactive cells was lower in neurobasal compared to DMEM/F12, but the number of β3-tubulin-positive cells and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in both cultures was the same. These findings demonstrated that rat primary midbrain cells can grow in both DMEM/F12 and neurobasal mediums. Therefore, considering the costly price of a neurobasal medium, DMEM/F12 can be used for culturing dopaminergic neurons.
Type of Study:
Original |
Subject:
Cellular and molecular Neuroscience Received: 2019/12/10 | Accepted: 2020/05/13 | Published: 2021/03/1