Effects of drug-contained sera ofNaoluo Xintong versus Zuogui pill on the proliferation and differentiation ofin vitro cultured neural stem cells / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:Because of limited source and a relatively weak ability of differentiation and proliferation, how to take positive and effective measures to promote neural stem cel proliferation, differentiation has become the focus of research. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of drug-contained sera ofNaoluo Xintong versus Zuoguipil on the proliferation and differentiation ofin vitro cultured rat neural stem cels. METHODS:Embryonic neural stem cels of Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated and culturedin vitro, and then were co-cultured with the serum medium containing 10%Naoluo Xintong and 10%Zuoguipil, respectively. Comparative observations were performed between two groups by inverted microscope and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Under the inverted microscope, the cels began to grow in cluster and gather into a bal, but the diameter was relatively smal after 24-hour culture; the neurospheres expended further, with relatively regular shape, but no neurosphere differentiation appeared after 48 hours of culture. The average prominent length of the neurospheres in theZuoguipil group was significantly greater than that in theNaoluo Xintong group after 5 days of culture (P 0.05). These findings suggest that drug-contained sera ofNaoluo Xintong andZuoguipil can both not only promote the proliferation and differentiation ofin vitro cultured rat neural stem cels, but also provide a suitable microenvironment for neural cel proliferation. Additionaly, there are significant differences between the two drugs. Consequently, it is feasible to induce neural cel proliferation and differentiation byNaoluo Xintong andZuoguipil.