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Selective expansion and long‐term culture of human schwann cells from sural nerve biopsies
Author(s) -
Van den Berg Leonard H.,
Bär Peter R.,
Sodaar Peter,
Mollee Isabel,
Wokke John J. H.,
Logtenberg Ton
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410380419
Subject(s) - schwann cell , lymphokine , sural nerve , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , nerve growth factor , cell culture , bromodeoxyuridine , immunology , pathology , immunohistochemistry , antigen , receptor , anatomy , medicine , biochemistry , genetics
Fragments of sural nerve biopsy specimens were cultured in the presence of the supernatant of lymphokine‐activated killer cells, resulting in the selective outgrowth of cells with bipolar or tripolar morphology, reminiscent of that of Schwann cells. Immunofluorescent staining with antibodies to the S‐100 protein, the low‐affinity nerve growth factor receptor, and the surface Thy‐1 antigen confirmed that these cultures contained more than 99% Schwann cells and no detectable fibroblasts. The mitotic activity of Schwann cells was measured by bromodeoxyuridine labeling, and was increased when the cells were grown in medium with lymphokine‐activated killer cell supernatant compared with medium without this supernatant. In the presence of lymphokine‐activated killer cell supernatant, Schwann cells could be maintained in continuous culture for a minimum of 8 months.