Effects of hydergine on aging neuroblastoma cells in culture.

Exposure of mouse neuroblastoma cells in culture to low pH for 8 days caused a sixfold increase in cell lipofuscin pigment. Pigment content was measured as the percent of cells having clumps of acid phosphatase-staining material. Hydergine, between 0.1 and 3 microgram/ml, caused a concentration-related decrease in pigment content. Hydergine also stimulated neurite formation in cells in regular pH medium and was slightly toxic to cells in low pH medium. These results support the use of neuroblastoma cells as an in vitro model for age pigment studies.