Micromass cultures in teratology

This unit describes methods for culture of undifferentiated midbrain (mesencephalon) and limb bud cells from gestation day 12 rat embryos. When grown over 5 days in vitro, these mixed cell populations express many morphological, biochemical, molecular, and immunophenotypic characteristics observed during in vivo differentiation. These cultures can be used in a wide variety of studies designed to investigate normal cellular ontogeny, the teratogenic potential of test agents, or the mechanisms underlying the cellular response to environmental stress.