Cultivation and growth of dissociated neurons from chick embryo cerebral cortex in the presence of different substrates

Summary Dissociated cells from 7-day old chick embryo cerebral hemispheres were cultivated for one month in Rose chambers. Four different culture conditions were employed in the composition of the matrix on which the cells were cultivated: collagen alone, collagen plus embryonic extract, collagen plus plasma and collagen plus plasma and embryonic extract.Within the first 48 hours of cultivation the cells formed processes under all four culture conditions. In the presence of plasma the dissociated cells remained well isolated; in the other culture conditions many cells reassociated into clumps.After 2–3 weeks in cultures on collagen or collagen plus embryonic extract many polygonal cells developed and formed a layer upon which typical neurons and oligodendrocyte-like cells were observed. After 3 weeks the polygonal cells began to transform into astrocyte-like cells. In the presence of plasma the cell bodies of the neuroblasts remained small and round. The processes developed generally consisted of one long and many short thick fibres; all processes had a bulbous appearance. In 3–4-weeks old cultures the cells which remained viable, were morphologically unchanged.The differences in the morphological aspects of the cells cultivated on plasma and those cultivated on collagen alone or with embryonic extract are discussed.This work was supported in part by the Délégation Générale à la Recherche Scientifique et Technique and the Mind Science Foundation. Thanks to Prof. Dr. Z. Lodin, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, for his continuing help. We are grateful to Mrs. M. F. Knoetgen for technical assistance.