The growth of spinal ganglion neurons in serum-free medium

The presence of serum in the culture medium affects the morphology of spinal ganglion neurons. With serum present, neuronal cell bodies are rounded and axons are predominantly straight. In serum-free medium axons curve all along their lengths, while both cell bodies and growth cones are spread on the substratum. Such “curved” axons straighten if serum is added to the culture dish.Serum-free medium may increase the adhesion of neurons to the substratum. This can account for the curved morphology of axons in serum-free medium, since such axons may represent a “history” of the movement of the growth cone during axon elongation.