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Updated: Dec 22, 2025

Protocol for the Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Mixed Cultures of Neurons and Glia for Neurotoxicity Testing
Published on: June 9, 2017
Low concentrations of morphine enhanced the neuroglia-like differentiation
Aim:
The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of morphine in chronic manner on neuroglial differentiation in PC12 cells.
Methods:
PC12 cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 culture medium including 0.02 % bovine serum albumin together with different concentrations of morphine for 12 days. Cytotoxicity was performed by lactate dehydrogenase assay. Cell death was performed by PI/Hoechst staining assay. Neuroglial differentiation was performed by Nestin, Tuj-1, MAP-2, S-100 and GFAP Immunocytochemistry assay.
Results:
Data showed that morphine either at low or high concentration activated opioid receptors, which resulted in a decrease of cytotoxicity and cell death and induction of Nestin, Tuj-1, MAP-2, Neurofilament-M (NF-M), GFAP and S-100 protein expression as compared in treated cells with the control (untreated cells) (p<005).
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that low concentrations of morphine in chronic manner stimulate the neuroglial-like differentiation by activating protein expression and survival-promoting signaling in PC12 cells with opioid receptor-dependent mechanism (Fig. 8, Ref. 36). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

