Central and peripheral neurite growth patterns in tissue culture

Neurites of mesencephalic V nucleus neurons, which in vivo have a peripheral process, were observed to grow away from cerebellar explants. This pattern of neurite growth was contrasted with a previously observed pattern of looping and returning to the explant characteristic of central processes of other neurons in cerebellar cultures. The described tissue culture system could serve as a model for elucidating mechanisms which determine the directional growth of neurites.