TITLE:
Growing Human Embryonic Neurons in Glass Capillary: A Simple Method to Study Interaction between Motile Cells and Neurons and to Explore the Neurotoxicity of Metals
AUTHORS:
M. Stabile
KEYWORDS:
Human Embryonic Neurons, Neuronal Growth in Glass Capillary, Copper Neurotoxicity
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.4 No.5,
November
11,
2014
ABSTRACT: A new method of growing human embryonic neurons in glass capillary is proposed. Beside the simplicity of the method, the main advantages are represented by the possibility to study the interactions between a directional flow of human motile cells (leukocytes, red blood cells, sperm cells) and the neuronal monolayer and to evaluate the toxicity on neuronal growth of a copper wire or others filiform materials introduced in the glass capillary. The neurotoxicity of copper is verified by this device, because copper wire inserted into the capillary interferes with engraftment and growth of neuronal cells. No interference by neuronal monolayer was found with the flow of human sperms trough the capillary. Also the flow of leukocytes and erythrocytes occurred without agglutination or adhesion to cellular monolayer with serial observation at 30, 60, 120 minutes. A further advantage of this method is the possibility of withdrawing culture medium microquantities from capillary in order to study neuronal secretory activity.