[The development of nervous tissue to experimental manipulation in vitro (author's transl)]

Explants of nervous tissue (CNS: hippocampus from fetal rats, telencephalon and PNS: ganglion trigeminale from chick embryos) were cultivated in maximow chambers. Biological extracts (brain and embryo extract) or chemical agents (aminoacid mixtures and peptides with known sequence of amino acids) were tested. Biological extracts and aminoacid mixtures stimulated the differentiation in PNS and CNS cultures. A stimulating effect of peptides seems to exist only on PNS explants. The fundamental importance of suitable reference systems, parameters, optimal concentrations and periods of application of effective substances for the evaluation of the results is discussed.