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PRECLINICAL RESEARCH
EFFECT OF COMPOUNDS ON NEURITE OUTGROWTH
FROM SPINAL MOTOR NEURONS
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Introduction
Compound testing
Progressive cell loss in neuronal populations is a pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases (Jellinger and Stadelmann, 2001). Discovery of neurotrophin open a large and promising investigation field, they have been used for the treatment of several neurodegenerative diseases. The development of new compound which could mimic neurotrophin effect without their limit appears to be a good strategy for the development of new therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases. In addition to promoting neuronal survival, neurotrophins are also involved in neuronal differentiation and axonal outgrowth.
Neurite outgrowth assay are used in neurobiology to study the neurotophic effect of a new compound.
A primary culture of spinal motor neurons are plating at low density in a defined medium. The compound is added just after neuronal adhesion and after 3 days neurite sprouting of neurons is evaluated by counting the number of neurons displaying neurite and/or measuring the length of the principal neurite.



Picture of spinal motor neurons 3 days after plating under control condition
BDNF at 50 ng/ml increase the length of the major neurite on primary culture from spinal motor neurons
References
Jellinger, K.A. and Stadelmann. (2001). Problems of cell death in neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's Disease.
J Alzheimers. Dis., 3, 31-40.