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Explanted Fish Neural Tubes Give Rise to Differentiating Neural Crest Cells
Author(s) -
Sadaghiani Bahram,
Vielkind Juergen R.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.1990.00513.x
Subject(s) - neural crest , oryzias , biology , neural tube , xiphophorus , explant culture , quail , neural fold , microbiology and biotechnology , embryo , neural plate , anatomy , in vitro , fish <actinopterygii> , genetics , endocrinology , fishery
Neural tubes were explanted from the trunk of various embryonic stages of three teleost fish, Xiphophorus maculatus (platyfish), X. helleri (swordtail), and Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka) with the aim to obtain in vitro differentiating neural crest cells. Outgrowth of cells was observed immediately after attachment of the explants on dishes coated with fibronectin. The outgrowing cells stained with the HNK‐1 monoclonal antibody indicating that they were neural crest cells. Maximum cell outgrowth was obtained from explants of stage 9 of Xiphophorus and 19 of medaka, i.e., from stages characteristic of maximal neural crest cell segregation, and by the use of Leibovitz's (L‐15) medium supplemented with 20% FBS. In this medium cells survived for more than two weeks; M199 also gave satisfactory results but DMEM allowed only poor cell growth and survival. Neuronal cells could be observed in all cultures after 48 hr, in some medaka cultures these cells were mixed with pigment cells but homogeneous pigment cell cultures were also observed. This in vitro system will be invaluable for the study of the developmental potential of fish neural crest cells and the contributions of extrinsic factors in neural crest cell fate.