The survival of dentate gyrus neurons in dissociated culture

Using a technique for dissociating cells from the area dentata of postnatal rats, we have been able to routinely establish low density cultures of dentate granule neurons that can be grown in the presence or absence of serum. Non-granule neurons from the hilar region and glial cells (both astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) are also present, but can be readily distinguished from the granule cells in these cultures. Unlike dissociated hippocampal pyramidal cells, which frequently resemble their in vivo morphology, dissociated dentate granule cells bear little resemblance to their normal in vivo counterparts, but are very similar in appearance to the ectopic granule cells seen in the reeler mouse. This suggests that extrinsic factors are the principal determinants of the mature form which granule neurons assume in vivo. On the other hand, the dissociated granule cells are able to express certain other aspects of their in vivo phenotype including the synthesis and transport of an antigen which is characteristically found in mossy fibers. Certain neuropeptide-containing non-granule neurons found in these cultures are also capable of maintaining aspects of their in vivo phenotype.