Application of aurintricarboxylic acid for the adherence of mouse P19 neurons and primary hippocampal neurons to noncoated surface in serum‐free culture

Dissociated primary neuron culture has been the most widely used model systems for neuroscience research. Most of these primary neurons are cultured on adhesion matrix‐coated surface to provide a proper environment for cell anchorage under serum‐free conditions. In this study, we provide an alternative technique to promote the adhesions of these neurons using aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), a nonpeptide compound, without surface manipulations. We first demonstrated that ATA could promote Chinese hamster ovary cell attachment and proliferation in serum‐free medium in a dosage‐dependent manner. We later showed that ATA significantly enhanced the attachment of the retinoic acid differentiated P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma (P19) neurons, with an optimal concentration around 30 μg/mL. A similar result was seen in primary hippocampal neurons, with an optimal ATA concentration around 15 μg/mL. Further morphological assessments revealed that the average neurite length and neuronal polarization were almost identical to that obtained using a conventional method with poly‐L ‐lysine surface. The advantages of using the ATA treatment technique for immunochemical analysis are discussed. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012