Fig. 1.

Differentiated SH-SY5Y cells treated with mitotic inhibitor are viable in culture for 4 weeks. (A) Phase contrast photomicrographs of SH-SY5Y cells 2 weeks post differentiation with retinoic acid and maintained in 1% iron-fortified calf serum-containing (Ai) or SR-2-supplemented medium (Aii). Phase bright cell bodies and extensive networks of processes are observed revealing viable cells with a neuronal morphology. Images are taken at 40x magnification and scale bar represents 50 µm. (B) Images of neurons maintained in SR-2-supplemented medium for 2 weeks (Bi) or 4 weeks (Bii) post differentiation. (C) Bar chart of DAPI counts of cell nuclei in culture 2 week and 4 week post-differentiation and (D) bar chart of lactate dehydrogenase release into the culture medium at these time-points. The means and standard errors of the means of seven experiments established in triplicate are shown. *** represents statistical significance (P < 0.001).