Basic fibroblast growth factor promotes subplate cell survival in explant cultures of embryonic mouse cortex

Subplate neurons form a transient layer immediately below the embryonic cortex and die early in postnatal life. It has been suggested that trophic factors, perhaps coming from cortical afferents, maintain the initial survival of these cells. Later withdrawal of these factors may cause subplate cell death. We tested whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has survival-promoting effects on subplate cells in organotypic cultures from the late embryonic mouse cortex. We found that the survival of subplate cells was promoted by adding bFGF to the cultures. By contrast, there was no effect of bFGF on the survival of overlying cortical neurons. These results indicate that bFGF may have a role in the regulation of subplate cell survival and death in vivo.