Astrocyte death in organotypic cultures of fetal spinal cord from rats with unilateral micromelia

Growth and differentiation of neurons and glia in spinal cord explants of 16 days old rat fetuses with teratogen-induced left-sided micromelia were studied. Progressive destruction of astrocytes that differentiate in interstitial zone of cultures was observed in 37% of explants of the left side, while the development was normal in cultures of the right side. Possible mechanisms leading to destruction of astrocytes in cultures of spinal cord regions that innervate anomalous limbs are discussed.