Structure of cell clusters formed in cultures of dissociated human embryonic brain

Cell clusters in a culture of dissociated brain from human fetuses at 8-12 weeks gestation in a serum-free growth medium were studied by immunohistochemical methods and electron microscopy. Heterogeneity of cell population in culture was demonstrated. Despite the influence of proliferation-stimulating factors, cell clusters contained not only nestin-immunopositive stem cells, but also beta-tubulin-, vimentin-, and GFAP-positive cells differentiating by the neural pathway. Stem cells were localized on the surface of clusters. The percentage of stem cells in large clusters was lower than in small clusters.