Culture of neuroepithelial stem cells

In vitro culture of multipotent neural precursors allows researchers to study mechanisms regulating such processes as proliferation and lineage commitment within the developing central nervous system (CNS). The protocols presented in this unit describe the isolation and maintenance of stem cells from both fetal and adult rodent neural tissue. A procedure for treating tissue culture dishes with poly-L-ornithine and fibronectin, which is necessary before the dishes are used for neuroepithelial stem cell culture, is also included.