Brain primary culture - a characterization.

Primary cultures from rat or mouse brain hemispheres contain predominantly glial cells. These cells accumulated [3H]GABA and showed a specific fluorescence with FITC-labeled anti-S-100 antiserum. Round or elongated cells which reacted positively with antimacrophage antiserum and exhibited phagocytotic activity, were considered mesodermal macrophages. Big flat cells, unreactive to S-100 antiserum or to any other antiserum tested, showed a morphology similar to mesenchymal cells of a low differentiation grade. These cells formed a monolayer upon which other cell types grew. Positive reaction for alkaline phosphatases was used as a criterion to identify endothelial cells, the number of which increased with increasing age of the cultures. Anti-14-3-2 antiserum gave no specific reaction, indicating the presence of very few or no differentiated neurons in the cultures.