Summary
Chick embryo spinal cord has been explanted at 2-day stages, when few or no cells have formed axons, and cultured organotypically with adjacent tissues or isolated from all other tissues.
Relatively mature nerve cells and glial cells, neurites and synapses could be seen in electron micrographs of cultures maintained for three to four weeks. Histological organization and some aspects of cell differentiation differed in the two types of cultures. Ependymal cells and randomly arranged cells, possibly modified glia, were seen only in cultures of neural tube with adjacent tissue; neurons and macroglia seemed to be more numerous in cultures of isolated neural tube.
The development of characteristic cells, with variations according to culture conditions, provides the opportunity for further study of factors controlling patterns of proliferation and differentiation in the central nervous system from very early to advanced stages.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Angevine, J.B., Jr.: Critical cellular events in the shaping of neural centers. In: The neurosciences: Second study program, p. 62–72. (F.O. Schmitt, editor-in-chief). New York: The Rockefeller University Press 1970.
The Boulder Committee: Embryonic vertebrate central nervous system: Revised terminology. Anat. Rec.166, 257–262 (1970).
Bunge, R.P., Bunge, M.B., Peterson, E.R.: An electron microscope study of cultured rat spinal cord: J. Cell Biol.24, 163–191 (1965).
Coggeshall, R.E.: A fine structural analysis of the ventral nerve cord and associated sheath ofLumbricus terrestris L. J. comp. Neurol.125, 393–438 (1965).
Fujita, H., Fujita, S.: Electron microscopic observations on the histogenesis of the central nervous system of the domestic fowl. (II) Neuroglia. Acta anat. Nipon.38, 95–108 (1963).
Glees, P., Meller, K.: Morphology of neuroglia. In: The structure and function of nervous tissue, vol.1, p. 301–323 (G.H. Bourne, ed.). New York: Academic Press 1968.
Guillery, R.W., Sobkowicz, H.M., Scott, G.L.: Light and electron microscopical observations of the ventral horn and ventral root in long term cultures of the spinal cord of the fetal mouse: J. comp. Neurol.134, 433–476 (1968).
Hamburger, V., Hamilton, H.L.: A series of normal stages in the development of the chick embryo: J. Morph.88, 49–92 (1951).
Ito, S., Winchester, R.J.: The fine structure of the gastric mucosa in the bat. J. Cell Biol.16, 541–577 (1963).
Luft, J.H.: Improvements in epoxy embedding methods. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol.9, 409–414 (1961).
Lyser, K.M.: Early differentiation of motor neuroblasts in the chick embryo as studied by electron microscopy: I. General aspects. Develop. Biol.10, 433–466 (1964).
—: Différenciation du tube neural de l'embryon de poulet en culture organotypique: Arch. Anat. micr. Morph. exp.53, 37–54 (1966a).
—: The development of the chick embryo diencephalon and mesencephalon during the initial phases of neuroblast differentiation. J. Embryol. exp. Morph.16, 497–517 (1966b).
—: Early differentiation of motor neuroblasts in the chick embryo as studied by electron microscopy: II. Microtubules and neurofilaments. Develop. Biol.17, 117–142 (1968a).
—: An electron-microscope study of centrioles in differentiating motor neuroblasts. J. Embryol. exp. Morph.20, 343–354 (1968b).
—: Early differentiation of the chick embryo spinal cord in organ culture: Light and electron microscopy. Anat. Rec.169, 45–64 (1971a).
- Microtubules and filaments in developing axons and optic stalk cells. Tissue & Cell. In press (1971b).
Peters, A., Palay, S.L., Webster, H. de F.: The fine structure of the nervous system. New York: Harper & Row 1970.
Sabatini, D.D., Bensch, K., Barrnett, R.J.: Cytochemistry and electron microscopy. The preservation of cellular ultrastructure and enzymatic activity by aldehyde fixation. J. Cell Biol.17, 19–58 (1963).
Tennyson, V.M.: The fine structure of the developing nervous system. In: Developmental neurobiology, p. 47–116 (W.A. Himwich, ed.). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas 1970.
Tilney, L.G., Porter, K.R.: Studies on microtubules in Heliozoa. I. The fine structure ofActinosphaerium nucleofilum (Barrett), with particular reference to the axial rod structure. Protoplasma (Wien)60, 317–344 (1965).
Watterson, R.L.: Structure and mitotic behavior of the early neural tube, In: Organogenesis, p. 129–159 (R.L. De Haan, and H. Ursprung, eds.). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston 1965.
Wechsler, W., Meller, K.: Electron microscopy of neuronal and glial differentiation in the developing brain of the chick. In: Progress in brain research, vol. 26, p. 93–144 (C.G. Bernhard, and J.P. Schadé, eds.). Amsterdam: Elsevier 1967.
Wolf, M.K., Dubois-Dalq, M.: Anatomy of cultured mouse cerebellum. I. Golgi and electron microscopic demonstrations of granule cells, their afferent and efferent synapses. J. comp. Neurol.140, 261–280 (1970).
Wolff, E.: Utilisation de la membrane vitelline de l'œuf de poule en culture organotypique. I. Technique et possibilités. Develop. Biol.3, 767–786 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by a grant from the United States Public Health Service (5 ROI NB 0637).
The author wishes to thank Miss Geraldine McTiernan for her competent technical assistance.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lyser, K.M. Further differentiation of early neural tube explants in organ culture as studied by electron microscopy. W. Roux' Archiv f. Entwicklungsmechanik 168, 269–281 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582925
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00582925