Fetal ventral mesencephalon of human and rat origin maintained in vitro and transplanted to 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats gives rise to grafts rich in dopaminergic neurons.

Free-floating roller tube cultures of human fetal (embryonic age 6-10 weeks post-conception) and rat fetal (embryonic day 13) ventral mesencephalon were prepared. After 7-15 days in vitro, the mesencephalic tissue cultures were transplanted into the striatum of adult rats that had received unilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine into the nigrostriatal bundle 3-5 weeks prior to transplantation. Graft survival was assessed in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunostained serial sections of the grafted brains up to post-transplantation week 4 for the human fetal xenografts and post-transplantation week 11 for the rat fetal allografts.

A mathematical model for the estimation of human embryonic and fetal age.

Precise determination of donor age in human embryonic and fetal tissue is crucial for cell transplantation due to the existence of distinct time windows within which successful grafting is possible. This study demonstrates that between 4-12 wk postconception embryonic and fetal age can be estimated based on various morphometric parameters measured on a routine basis in suction abortion material. The greatest length, the neck-rump length, the foot length, and the proximal and distal arm and leg length were correlated with the anamnestic and ultrasonographically estimated age.

Effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor on neuronal structure of dopaminergic neurons in dissociated cultures of human fetal mesencephalon.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been shown to promote the survival of cultured fetal mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons of rat and human origin. In the present study, BDNF was tested for its ability to influence neuronal structure of dopaminergic neurons in dissociated cultures of human fetal ventral mesencephalon after 7 days in vitro. Following immunocyto chemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase, all surviving dopaminergic neurons were counted.

Noninvasive dopamine determination by reversed phase HPLC in the medium of free-floating roller tube cultures of rat fetal ventral mesencephalon: a tool to assess dopaminergic tissue prior to grafting.

The low availability of dopamine containing neurons for grafting in Parkinson's disease is a general problem. Free-floating roller tube (FFRT) cultures allow storage of fetal mesencephalic tissue prior to transplantation. Preoperative functional testing permits to select an optimized set of individual cultures for transplantation.

Comparison of the topology and growth rules of motoneuronal dendrites.

The complexity, shape, and branching modes of the dendrites of spinal motoneurons were compared in cat, rat, and frog using topological analysis and growth models. The complexity of motoneuronal dendrites, measured as the mean number of terminal segments, varied significantly among samples and was related to contractile properties of innervated motor units. Despite this variation, all mature motoneurons having a mean number of terminal segments per dendrite greater than ten (up to 24.

Effects of BDNF on dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic neurons in cultures of human fetal ventral mesencephalon.

The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was tested for its ability to promote the survival and regulation of expression of phenotypic markers of dopaminergic, serotonergic, and GABAergic neurons in free-floating roller tube cultures of human fetal ventral mesencephalon. This culture system contains neurons of the anlage of the substantia nigra as well as that of the rostral raphe nucleus. Dopaminergic neuron number and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) fiber density was monitored by TH immunocytochemistry.

Comparison of the effects of the neurotrophins on the morphological structure of dopaminergic neurons in cultures of rat substantia nigra.

The effect of the various neurotrophin family members on the morphological structure of dopaminergic neurons was compared in dissociated cultures of embryonic rat ventral mesencephalon. Cultures were maintained in vitro in the presence of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), neurotrohin-4/5 (NT-4/5), nerve growth factor (NGF) or no added growth factors. Three-dimensional reconstructions of 48 neurons were made in each of the experimental groups following immunocytochemical staining for tyrosine hydroxylase to detect dopaminergic neurons.

Long-term survival of dopaminergic neurones in free-floating roller tube cultures of human fetal ventral mesencephalon.

Transplantation of human fetal ventral mesencephalon (VM) to Parkinsonian patients has shown beneficial effects in several clinical trials. However, further improvements in the transplantation technique are needed. Delayed surgery, i.

NGF increases neuritic complexity of cholinergic interneurons in organotypic cultures of neonatal rat striatum.

The influence of NGF on cholinergic interneurons in organotypic roller tube cultures of 4 day postnatal rat striatum was examined after 13 to 16 days in vitro. Cultures were divided into four groups. The medium of the NGF treated group was supplemented with 5 ng/ml NGF, whereas control groups were cultured either without NGF, by adding 20 ng/ml neutralising anti-NGF antibody, or by adding both NGF and anti-NGF antibody to the medium.