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Method Article

Generation and Differentiation of Primary Neurospheres from Zebrafish Neural Stem Cells

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July 8th, 2025

In This Article

Abstract

Source: Lopez-Ramirez, M. A. et al., Isolation and Culture of Adult Zebrafish Brain-derived Neurospheres. J. Vis. Exp. (2016)

This video demonstrates the generation and differentiation of primary neurospheres. Neural stem cells from zebrafish, in the presence of growth factors, proliferate into free-floating neurospheres with self-renewal capacity, which later differentiate into glial cells and neurons.

Protocol

1. Preparations

  1. Prepare 10 ml of dissection medium, and add 200 µl of 100x penicillin-streptomycin into 9.8 ml of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium F12 (DMEM/F12).
  2. Prepare L-Cysteine solution: to 10 ml of water for tissue culture, and add 120 mg of L-cysteine. Store the L-cysteine solution at 4 °C for up to 2 weeks or in aliquots at -20 °C for up to 1 year.
  3. Prepare DNase I solution: to 1 ml of water for tissue culture, add 10 mg of DNase I. Store the DNase I solution at 4 °C for up to 2 months.
  4. Prepare papain solution: to prepare papain solution, add 100 µl papain (approximately 140 uni....

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Results

Neural development diagram; brain region microscopy; DsRed fluorescence imaging; cell morphology.
Figure 1: Differentiation of Zebrafish Brain-derived Neurospheres. (A-C, E) Phase contrast images of whole brain-derived neurospheres cultured in the Z-differentiation medium during 1 (A, .......

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Disclosures

No conflicts of interest declared.

Materials

List of materials used in this article
NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
DPBS 1XLife Technologies14190-144
DMEM/F12 1XLife Technologies11330-032
L-Cysteine hydrochloride monohydrate SigmaC6852-25g
B-27Life Technologies17504-044
N-2Life Technologies17502-048N-2 supplement (100x) liquid
HEPES Life Technologies156301M
D-(+)-Glucose 45% SigmaG8769
Penicillin-streptomycin Life Technologies15140-122
Fetal Bovine Serum Life Technologies16000044
Human FGF-basic Peprotech 100-18B
Human EGF PeprotechAF-100-15
Insulin SigmaI5500-50 mg
DNAseSigmaDN25-10mg
Papain Worthington Biochemical CorporationLS003126
Matrigel Becton Dickinson356234
PFA TCIP0018
PBSAmericanBioAB11072-04000
Tricaine MS-222SigmaA5040Stock solution of 4 mg/ml.
Trycold gel SigmaTGP8gel pack
Trypan blue stain Life Technologies15250061

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