Table 2.

Effects of dispase II in combination with papain or collagenase II. Neonatal or adult brain tissue was dissociated with papain (P) or collagenase II (C) alone or in combination with dispase II (P + D and C + D). After 30 % Percoll gradient purification, cells obtained were stained with markers for resting microglia (CD11b+/CD45^low), lymphocytes (CD11b-/CD45+) and astrocytes (ACSA-2+/CD45-). Dead cells were also stained with DAPI. Cell number and viability were analyzed by flow cytometry. Values presented for P + D and C + D groups are presented as percentage change (100 x difference/original number) respect to papain or collagenase II digestion, respectively. Data correspond to mean ± S.E.M. (n = 4–6).

	Neonates		Adults
	P + D	C + D	P + D	C + D
Total cell number per brain	71.4 ± 9.1*	4.8 ± 0.3	12.0 ± 3.7	24.9 ± 1.5**
Total cell death	138.6 ± 31.3*	−7.8 ± 0.4	69.2 ± 5.8**	17.7 ± 0.9**
Resting microglia	1.8 ± 0.6	−45.1 ± 13.3*	32.6 ± 1.9**	38.3 ± 6.1
Resting microglia death	291.4 ± 81.0*	83.0 ± 30.0	−3.5 ± 1.3	20.1 ± 4.6
Lymphocytes	39.7 ± 11.6	−55.0 ± 10.3**	52.2 ± 7.6*	135.1 ± 62.5
Astrocytes	24.8 ± 5.9	−38.0 ± 7.5*	−14.6 ± 2.2	16.0 ± 4.5
Astrocyte death	61.5 ± 9.3*	−25.2 ± 5.1	38.8 ± 4.0*	20.7 ± 1.5*

*p < 0.05 and **p < 0.01 versus papain or collagenase II alone.