The action of epidermal growth factor on the development of cultured striatum cells

INTRODUCTION: Epidermic growth factor (EGF) has a neurotrophic mitogenic effect on different cell populations in the nervous system. This is modulated by the stage of development and microenvironment of the cells. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In this paper we describe the action of EGF on embryonic striatum cells of a culture system dissociated from neurons and glias. The cell culture is prepared from 16-17 day rat embryos. In the system used, the cell population was cultured for 20-24 hours in a medium containing serum. This medium was later replaced by a mixture of specific nutrients and treated for 6 days with 20 mg/ml of EGF. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The substitution of serum during the initial period of development led to an appreciable reduction in the living cells in the treated cultures and in the controls. The surviving cells were mainly cellular precursors, taking into account their morphological characteristics and capacity for proliferation. The effect of EGF was seen in an increase in the number of cells and was shown to be a stimulus to the proliferation of neuronal and astrocyte precursors. The specific activity of choline acetyl-transferases determined in the cultures at 16 days showed differentiation of a cholinergic neurons subpopulation, which responded to treatment with nerve growth factor with an increase in the activity of this enzyme.