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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1972 Dec;69(12):3556–3560. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.12.3556

Replacement of Nerve-Growth Factor by Ganglionic Non-Neuronal Cells for the Survival In Vitro of Dissociated Ganglionic Neurons

Patricia Burnham 1, Charles Raiborn 1, Silvio Varon 1
PMCID: PMC389820  PMID: 4509314

Abstract

Nerve-growth factor is known to cause a considerable increase in the number of neurons putting out processes and surviving in cell cultures of dissociated dorsal-root and sympathetic ganglia from embryonic chicks. Similar effects of nerve-growth factor have now been noted with cultures of dissociated dorsal-root ganglia from newborn mice or rats. In all three sensory ganglionic systems, the effects of the nerve-growth factor on fiber production and neuronal survival could be mimicked, in the absence of the factor, by adequate increase of the non-neuronal cells in the cultures. The results suggest a hypothesis that views the role of the nerve-growth factor as subordinate to that of the non-neuronal cells.

Keywords: culture neuroglia

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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