These studies were supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (HM: NSERC Discovery Grant # RGPIN-2018-06040), and Children Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (HM: Grant # 320035), and the ALS Canada-Brain Canada Arthur J. Hudson Translational Team Grant (JK, HM).

All animal procedures were performed in accordance with institutional regulations and the Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals from the Canadian Council for Animal Care and has been approved by local authorities (&ldquo;the Bannatyne Campus Animal Care Committee&rdquo;). All efforts were made to minimize the number and suffering of animals used. Adequate depth of anesthesia was confirmed by observing that there was no change in respiratory rate associated with manipulation and toe pinch or corneal reflex.</p...

<ol>
	<li>Giffard, R. G., Ouyang, Y. B., Squire, L. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+culture:+primary+neural+cells.">Cell culture: primary neural cells.</a> Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. , 633-637 (2009).</li><li>Huang, Y., Liu, Y., Zheng, C., Shen, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Investigation+of+Cross-Contamination+and+Misidentification+of+278+Widely+Used+Tumor+Cell+Lines.">Investigation of Cross-Contamination and Misidentification of 278 Widely Used Tumor Cell Lines.</a> PLoS One. 12 (1), 0170384 (2017).</li><li>Lorsch, J. R., Collins, F. S., Lippincott-Schwartz, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fixing+problems+with+cell+lines.">Fixing problems with cell lines.</a> Science. 346 (6216), 1452-1453 (2014).</li><li>Kaur, G., Dufour, J. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+lines:+Valuable+tools+or+useless+artifacts.">Cell lines: Valuable tools or useless artifacts.</a> Spermatogenesis. 2 (1), 1-5 (2012).</li><li>Capes-Davis, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Check+your+cultures!+A+list+of+cross-contaminated+or+misidentified+cell+lines.">Check your cultures! A list of cross-contaminated or misidentified cell lines.</a> International Journal of Cancer. 127 (1), 1-8 (2010).</li><li>Frade, J. M., Ovejero-Benito, M. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+cell+cycle:+the+neuron+itself+and+its+circumstances.">Neuronal cell cycle: the neuron itself and its circumstances.</a> Cell Cycle. 14 (5), 712-720 (2015).</li><li>Antoni, D., Burckel, H., Josset, E., Noel, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Three-dimensional+cell+culture:+a+breakthrough+in+vivo.">Three-dimensional cell culture: a breakthrough in vivo.</a> International Journal of Molecular Science. 16 (3), 5517-5527 (2015).</li><li>Humpel, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organotypic+brain+slice+cultures:+A+review.">Organotypic brain slice cultures: A review.</a> Neuroscience. 305, 86-98 (2015).</li><li>Voloboueva, L., Sun, X., Ouyang, Y. B., Giffard, R. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+culture:+primary+neural+cells.">Cell culture: primary neural cells.</a> Reference Module in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Psychology. , (2017).</li><li>Marzban, H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cellular+commitment+in+the+developing+cerebellum.">Cellular commitment in the developing cerebellum.</a> Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 8, 450 (2014).</li><li>Sudarov, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Ascl1+genetics+reveals+insights+into+cerebellum+local+circuit+assembly.">Ascl1 genetics reveals insights into cerebellum local circuit assembly.</a> Journal of Neuroscience. 31 (30), 11055-11069 (2011).</li><li>Rahimi-Balaei, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Zebrin+II+Is+Ectopically+Expressed+in+Microglia+in+the+Cerebellum+of+Neurogenin+2+Null+Mice.">Zebrin II Is Ectopically Expressed in Microglia in the Cerebellum of Neurogenin 2 Null Mice.</a> Cerebellum. 18 (1), 56-66 (2019).</li><li>Rahimi-Balaei, M., Bergen, H., Kong, J., Marzban, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Neuronal+Migration+During+Development+of+the+Cerebellum.">Neuronal Migration During Development of the Cerebellum.</a> Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience. 12, 484 (2018).</li><li>Buffo, A., Rossi, F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Origin,+lineage+and+function+of+cerebellar+glia.">Origin, lineage and function of cerebellar glia.</a> Progress in Neurobiology. 109, 42-63 (2013).</li><li>Alder, J., Cho, N. K., Hatten, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Embryonic+Precursor+Cells+from+the+Rhombic+Lip+Are+Specified+to+a+Cerebellar+Granule+Neuron+Identity.">Embryonic Precursor Cells from the Rhombic Lip Are Specified to a Cerebellar Granule Neuron Identity.</a> Neuron. 17 (3), 389-399 (1996).</li><li>Reemst, K., Noctor, S. C., Lucassen, P. J., Hol, E. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+Indispensable+Roles+of+Microglia+and+Astrocytes+during+Brain+Development.">The Indispensable Roles of Microglia and Astrocytes during Brain Development.</a> Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 10, 566 (2016).</li><li>Furuya, S., Makino, A., Hirabayashi, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+improved+method+for+culturing+cerebellar+Purkinje+cells+with+differentiated+dendrites+under+a+mixed+monolayer+setting.+Brain+research.">An improved method for culturing cerebellar Purkinje cells with differentiated dendrites under a mixed monolayer setting. Brain research.</a> Brain Research Protocols. 3 (2), 192-198 (1998).</li><li>Tabata, T., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+reliable+method+for+culture+of+dissociated+mouse+cerebellar+cells+enriched+for+Purkinje+neurons.">A reliable method for culture of dissociated mouse cerebellar cells enriched for Purkinje neurons.</a> Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 104 (1), 45-53 (2000).</li><li>Marzban, H., Hawkes, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fibroblast+growth+factor+promotes+the+development+of+deep+cerebellar+nuclear+neurons+in+dissociated+mouse+cerebellar+cultures.">Fibroblast growth factor promotes the development of deep cerebellar nuclear neurons in dissociated mouse cerebellar cultures.</a> Brain Research. 1141, 25-36 (2007).</li><li>Schaller, K. L., Caldwell, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+and+distribution+of+voltage-gated+sodium+channels+in+the+cerebellum.">Expression and distribution of voltage-gated sodium channels in the cerebellum.</a> Cerebellum. 2 (1), 2-9 (2003).</li><li>Alder, J., Cho, N. K., Hatten, M. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Embryonic+precursor+cells+from+the+rhombic+lip+are+specified+to+a+cerebellar+granule+neuron+identity.">Embryonic precursor cells from the rhombic lip are specified to a cerebellar granule neuron identity.</a> Neuron. 17 (3), 389-399 (1996).</li><li>van der Valk, J., Gstraunthaler, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fetal+Bovine+Serum+(FBS)+-+A+pain+in+the+dish.">Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) - A pain in the dish.</a> Alternatives to Laboratory Animals. 45 (6), 329-332 (2017).</li><li>Froud, S. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+development,+benefits+and+disadvantages+of+serum-free+media.">The development, benefits and disadvantages of serum-free media.</a> Developments in Biological Standardization. 99, 157-166 (1999).</li><li>Kwist, K., Bridges, W. C., Burg, K. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+effect+of+cell+passage+number+on+osteogenic+and+adipogenic+characteristics+of+D1+cells.">The effect of cell passage number on osteogenic and adipogenic characteristics of D1 cells.</a> Cytotechnology. 68 (4), 1661-1667 (2016).</li><li>Uysal, O., SevimLi, T., SevimLi, M., Gunes, S., Eker Sariboyaci, A., Barh, D., Azevedo, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell+and+tissue+culture:+the+base+of+biotechnology.">Cell and tissue culture: the base of biotechnology.</a> Omics Technologies and Bio-Engineering. , 391-429 (2018).</li><li>Seibenhener, M. L., Wooten, M. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Isolation+and+culture+of+hippocampal+neurons+from+prenatal+mice.">Isolation and culture of hippocampal neurons from prenatal mice.</a> Journal of Visualized Experiments. (65), e3634 (2012).</li><li>Nelson, K. B., Bauman, M. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Thimerosal+and+autism.">Thimerosal and autism.</a> Pediatrics. 111 (3), 674-679 (2003).</li><li>Marzban, H., Hawkes, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fibroblast+growth+factor+promotes+the+development+of+deep+cerebellar+nuclear+neurons+in+dissociated+mouse+cerebellar+cultures.">Fibroblast growth factor promotes the development of deep cerebellar nuclear neurons in dissociated mouse cerebellar cultures.</a> Brain Research. 1141, 25-36 (2007).</li></ol>

The authors have nothing to disclose.

The use of primary cultures is a well-known method applicable for all types of neurons17,18,19. In the presented protocol, we explain how to isolate cerebellar neurons and maintain their viability with optimum survival in vitro for a maximum of 3 weeks. Primary culture of cerebellar cells, which were isolated at E15&minus;E18, confirms the collection of three classes of large neurons: PCs, Golgi cells, and CNs. The cell bodies a...

For several decades, cell lines have been widely used as a high throughput tool in preclinical studies and biological research. Cost-effectiveness, fast growth, and reduction of live animal use are some benefits of using these cells. However, genetic alterations and phenotypical changes accumulate after several passages in vitro1. Misidentification of cell lines and genetic dissimilarity from primary cells can lead to irreproducible experiments and false conclusions2,3,4,5. Therefore, in spite of some similarities to differentiated cells such as neurons (e.g., neurotransmitters, ion channels, receptors, and other neuron-specific proteins), neuronal cell lines cannot replicate the full phenotype of neurons. Using mature neurons is another option; however, these cells are non-dividing postmitotic cells that are difficult to propagate in culture. Moreover, re-entry into the cell cycle may precipitate apoptosis6.
Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture, organotypic slice cultures, and organoid cultures have been developed to provide an environment in which cells can arrange into a 3D form that mimics the in vivo setting. Thus, cell-to-cell communication, migration, invasion of tumor cells into surrounding tissues, and angiogenesis can be studied7. However, additional costs of using extra cellular matrix (ECM) proteins or synthetic hydrogels as a bedding, difficulty in imaging, and compatibility with high-throughput screening instruments are considerable drawbacks of 3D cell culturing. A major disadvantage of organotypic tissue slice culture is the use of a large number of animals and the adverse effects of axotomy, which leads to inaccessibility of targets and growth factors for axons, and consequently neuronal death8.
Therefore, an alternate approach, which avoids the problems with cell lines, the difficulty of growing mature cells, and complexity of tissues, is in vitro maturation of immature primary cells. Primary cells are derived directly from human or animal tissue and dissociated using enzymatic and/or mechanical methods9. The main principles of isolation, seeding, and maintenance in culture medium are similar regardless of the tissue source. However, the trophic factors necessary to promote proliferation and maturation are highly cell specific6.
Knowing the &lsquo;birthdate&rsquo; of each cerebellar cell type is a prerequisite for designing a primary culture experiment. In general, Purkinje cells (PCs) and the neurons of the cerebellar nuclei (CN), are born before the smaller cells, including interneurons (e.g., basket, stellate cells) and granule cells. In mice, PCs emerge between embryonic day (E)10&ndash;E13, whereas CN neurons at approximately E9&ndash;E1210.
Other cerebellar neurons are born much later. For example, in mice, the Golgi subpopulation of interneurons are generated from VZ at (~E14&minus;E18) and the remaining interneurons (basket cell and stellate cells) located in the molecular layer emerge from dividing progenitor cells in the white matter between early postnatal (P)0&ndash;P711. Granule cells are generated from the external germinal zone (EGZ), a secondary germinal zone that is derived from the rostral rhombic lip and goes through terminal division after birth. But before their precursors arise from the rhombic lip from E13&ndash;E16, the cells have already migrated rostrally along the pia surface to make a thin layer of cells on the dorsal surface of the cerebellum anlage. Nonneuronal macroglial cells such as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which originate from the ventricular neuroepithelium, are born at E13.5&minus;P0 and P0&minus;P7 respectively11,12,13,14,15. Microglia are derived from yolk-sac primitive myeloid progenitor cells between E8&ndash;E10 and after invasion into the central nervous system can be detected in the mouse brain by E916.
The method presented in this article is based on the one originally developed by Furuya et al. and Tabata et al.17,18, which was optimized for primary culturing of Purkinje cells derived from Wistar rat cerebella. We have now adapted this method and carefully modified it to study the growth of mouse cerebellar neurons19. Unlike in our new protocol, cold dissection medium is the main washing buffer used during dissection and dissociation steps before adding seeding medium in Furuya&rsquo;s protocol17. This buffer lacks the nutrition, growth factors, and hormones (all in Dulbecco&rsquo;s modified Eagle medium:nutrient mixture F-12 [DMEM/F12]) that are necessary to support cell growth and survival during the aforementioned steps. In addition, based on our extensive experience with murine primary cerebellar cultures, we have used 500 &mu;L of culture medium in each well (instead of 1 mL) and increased the tri-iodothyronine concentration to 0.5 ng/mL, which improves growth of neuronal cells, in particular those with a Purkinje cell phenotype, and promotes the outgrowth of dendritic branches in culture. The principal method featured in this article can be broadly applied to other small rodents (e.g., squirrels and hamsters) during embryonic development and can be used to study cerebellar neurogenesis and differentiation in the various embryonic stages, which differ between species.

<table>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Adobe Photoshop CS5 Version 12</td>
			<td>Adobe Inc</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Anti-Sodium Channel (SCN)PN4 (Nav1.6)</td>
			<td>Sigma</td>
			<td>S0438</td>
			<td>3 &#956;g/mL</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bovine Serum Albumin</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>A3608</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CALB1</td>
			<td>Swant Swiss Antibodies (Polyclonal)</td>
			<td>CB38</td>
			<td>1/5000 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>CALB1</td>
			<td>Swant Swiss Antibodies (Monoclonal)</td>
			<td>300</td>
			<td>1/1000 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cytosine &#946;-D-arabinofuranoside or Cytosine Arabinoside (Ara-C)</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>C1768</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNase I from bovine pancreas</td>
			<td>Roche</td>
			<td>11284932001</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dressing Forceps</td>
			<td>Delasco</td>
			<td>DF-45</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dulbecco&#8217;s Modified Eagle&#8217;s Medium (DMEM-F12)</td>
			<td>Lonza</td>
			<td>12-719F</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand Cover Glasses: Circles</td>
			<td>fisher scientific</td>
			<td>12-545-81</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gentamicin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15710-064</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hanks&#8217; Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS)</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>14185-052</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Insulin from bovine pancreas</td>
			<td>Millipore sigma</td>
			<td>I5500, I6634, I1882, and I4011</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Large Scissor</td>
			<td>Stoelting</td>
			<td>52134-38</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>L-glutamine</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>25030-081</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Metallized Hemacytometer</td>
			<td>Hausser Bright-Line</td>
			<td>3100</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microdissection Forceps</td>
			<td>Merlan</td>
			<td>624734</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pattern 5 Tweezer</td>
			<td>Dixon</td>
			<td>291-9454</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)</td>
			<td>Fisher BioReagents</td>
			<td>BP399-26</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Poly-L-Ornithine</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>P4638</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Progesteron (P4)</td>
			<td>Millipore sigma</td>
			<td>P8783</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PVALB</td>
			<td>Swant Swiss Antibodies</td>
			<td>235</td>
			<td>1/1500 dilution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Samll Scissor</td>
			<td>WPI Swiss Scissors, 9cm</td>
			<td>504519</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium Selenite</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>S9133</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Transferrin</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>T8158</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tri-iodothyronine (T3)</td>
			<td>Millipore Sigma</td>
			<td>T2877</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Trypsin</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>15090-046</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Zeiss Fluorescence microscope</td>
			<td>Zeiss</td>
			<td>Z2 Imager</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

primary culture of neurons isolated from embryonic mouse cerebellum

The use of primary cell cultures has become one of the major tools to study the nervous system in vitro. The ultimate goal of using this simplified model system is to provide a controlled microenvironment and maintain the high survival rate and the natural features of dissociated neuronal and nonneuronal cells as much as possible under in vitro conditions. In this article, we demonstrate a method of isolating primary neurons from the developing mouse cerebellum, placing them in an in vitro environment, establishing their growth, and monitoring their viability and differentiation for several weeks. This method is applicable to embryonic neurons dissociated from cerebellum between embryonic days 12&ndash;18.

Based on the different birthdates of neuronal subtypes in the cerebellum, cultures from E12&#8722;E18 mouse embryos yielded different cell types. Large projection neurons, such as CN neurons (E9&#8722;E12) and PCs (E10&#8722;E13), emerged early during cerebellar development. In mice, granule and Golgi cells arose between ~E13&#8211;E18 and underwent terminal divisions up to postnatal week 4.
Replacing old medium I with fresh culture medium II at days in vitro (DIV) 7 will eventually prevent gl...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Primary Culture of Neurons Isolated from Embryonic Mouse Cerebellum at JoVE.com

Primary Culture of Neurons Isolated from Embryonic Mouse Cerebellum

Conducting in vitro experiments to reflect in vivo conditions as adequately as possible is not an easy task. The use of primary cell cultures is an important step toward understanding cell biology in a whole organism. The provided protocol outlines how to successfully grow and culture embryonic mouse cerebellar neurons.

The use of primary cell cultures has become one of the major tools to study the nervous system in vitro. The ultimate goal of using this simplified model ...

Primary neuronal cell culture is an ideal model system to study dissociated neurons in vitro culture. The advantage of using this method is being able to maintain the cellular features of dissociated cells, such as mechanisms, functions, and morphology in vitro conditions for a few weeks as close as possible to in vivo condition. Put the round cover slips in a 24-well plate under the biosafety cabinet.Add 90 microliters of poly-L-ornithine onto each cover slip. Close the cap and gently place the plate in the 37 degree incubator for two days. Prepare the culture medium and seeding medium and keep them at four degrees Celsius.Prepare the working trypsin solution in DMEM/F12 and keep it at four degrees. Place the culture medium and seeding medium in the incubator at 37 degrees. Take the 24-well plate out of the incubator.Wash the cover slips three times with double distilled water. Leave the cover slips for at least two hours to completely dry. Prepare three Petri dishes filled with cold PBS, three Petri dishes filled with cold HBSS, and five Petri dishes filled with cold dissection medium on ice.Excise the uterine horns and wash them in cold PBS three times on ice. From here all steps should be carried out on ice to minimize tissue damage. After the last washing step, separate the pups from the uterus in HBSS and transfer them to the cold dissection medium.In dissection medium, decapitate the pups with scissors. Open the calvarium from the foramen magnum to the inferior border of the orbital cavity. Using a pair of fine forceps, remove the skull base and peel the skull away from the brain.Carefully remove the meninges of the cerebellum starting from the lateral surface of the middle cerebellar peduncle and pons. Cut both cerebellar peduncles and separate the cerebellum from the rest of the brain. Immediately place the collected cerebella in a sterile 15-mL conical tube filled with DMEM/F12 on ice.Centrifuge the tube at 1, 000 g at four degrees for one minute in DMEM/F12. Repeat this three times, each time gently removing the supernatant with a pipette and re-suspending the pellet in fresh DMEM/F12. Add two milliliters of pre-warmed trypsin and gently pipette to mix them together.Place the tube in a 37 degree water bath for 12 minutes. After incubation, bring the tube to the safety cabinet and add 10 mLs of DMEM/F12 to inactivate the trypsin. Centrifuge the mixture at 1, 200 g's for five minutes.Discard the supernatant and resuspend in fresh medium followed by centrifugation three times. Pre-wet a sterile plastic pipette with DMEM/F2. Add 3.5 milliliters of DNAse working solution to the same tube.Triturate the tissue with a pipette several times until the fluid attains a homogeneous milky color. Add 10 mL of cold DMEM/F12 to the mixture and proceed to the centrifuge. Centrifuge the sample at 1, 200 g at four degrees for five minutes.Carefully remove the supernatant without disturbing the pellet. Remove the seeding medium from the incubator. Add 500 microliters of prewarmed seeding medium and mix it well using the pipette.Count the cells using a hemocytometer. Dilute the cell suspension with seeding medium to a density of 500, 000 cells per milliliter. Add 90 microliters of the mixture to each well at the center of the coverslip.Place the plate in the incubator at 37 degrees for three to four hours. After incubation, add 500 microliters of prewarmed culture medium into each well. Replace the plate into the incubator at 37 degrees.After seven days, replace the old medium with fresh culture medium II.Prepare a separate 24-well plate with corresponding numeric organization and add 100 microliters of PFA 4%to each well. After the desired days in culture, gently remove the cover slips from the wells of the original culture plate and place them into the corresponding wells of the PFA plate described in the previous step. Add PFA to the wells to completely immerse the cover slips.Keep the PFA plate at four degrees for 30 to 120 minutes. After incubation, restore the plate to room temperature. Wash the cover slips gently with PBS for five minutes three times.Figure two in the text shows cerebellar cell culture starting at E18. Immunofluorescence for calbindin shows Purkinje neurons with axonal extensions by three days in vitro. By seven to 10 days in vitro, dendritic processes are evident.At 21 days, complex dendritic branches are present. Figure three in the text shows cerebellar cell cultures starting at various embryonic days. immunofluorescence detection of calbindin shows Purkinje neurons with early axons only after 18 days in vitro.Purkinje neuron cultures started at E14 and E15 will develop dendrites, but never as complex as those that develop when E18 is the starting point. Figure four in the text shows that different cell types develop from E18 cultures after 21 days in vitro. Calbindin green immunofluorescence shows Purkinje neurons.Red immunofluorescence for parvalbumin in B and C show inhibitory interneurons. Red immunofluorescence for sodium voltage-gated channel in E and F shows granule neurons. The present protocol is cost-effective and easy to conduct.At the end of this video, you will be able to collect and culture cerebellar neurons and fix them at desired DIVs.

primary-culture-of-neurons-isolated-from-embryonic-mouse-cerebellum

Research

Education

JoVE Core

JoVE Journal

Anatomy and Physiology

Neuroscience

Unit 1

Anatomy of the Central and Peripheral Nervous System

SCIENTISTS IN ACTION

19.0K Views.  University of Manitoba. Primary neuronal cell culture is an ideal model system to study dissociated neurons in vitro culture. The advantage of using this method is being able to maintain the cellular features of dissociated cells, such as mechanisms, functions, and morphology in vitro conditions for a few weeks as close as possible to in vivo condition. Put the round cover slips in a 24-well plate under the biosafety cabinet.Add 90 microliters of poly-L-ornithine onto each cover slip. Close the cap and gently...