Figure 1.

Cultured astrocytes resist mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I and complex IV inhibitors that are toxic for neurons. A, Cultures of rat cortical neurons were treated with rotenone for 24 h (concentrations as indicated) and immuostained for TuJ1 (red) and NeuN (green). Toxicity is indicated by the loss of staining and pyknotic neuronal nuclei (DAPI). Insets show condensed neuronal nuclei at higher magnification. Scale bars, 50 and 10 μm. B, Cultured astrocytes were treated with rotenone for 24 h (concentrations as indicated) and immunostained for GFAP (green). C, Quantified by a trypan blue exclusion assay, rotenone treatment did not affect astrocyte survival. Data are shown as mean ± SEM. D, Cultured human astrocytes, immunostained for vimentin (green) and aquaporin-4 (red), were resistant to KCN administered at low (50 μm) and high (1 mm) concentrations. Scale bar, 50 μm. n.s., Not significant.