Immunocytochemical and morphological effects of short-term stimulation of cultured astrocytes.

ABSTRACT

Both image analysis at light microscopy level and ultrastructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy were employed to evaluate the differentiation stage in young cultured mouse astrocytes after 1-day exposure to dBcAMP, a chemical compound known to induce cell activation. The aim was to validate an experimental model of stimulated astrocytes preserving the properties of recently seeded cells, thus avoiding the overlapping effects of in vitro aging. Differentiated astrocytes, as evidenced by GFAP labeling by streptavidin-peroxidase, doubled their number in treated cultures (45