Isolation and Culture of Post-Natal Mouse Cerebellar Granule Neuron Progenitor Cells and Neurons

Summary

Here we present a method to isolate and culture cerebellar granule neuron progenitor cells and cerebellar granule neurons from postnatal mouse.

Abstract

The cerebellar cortex is a well described structure that provides unique opportunities for studying neuronal properties and development^1,2. Of the cerebellar neuronal types (granule cells, Purkinje cells and inhibitory interneurons), granule neurons are by far the most numerous and are the most abundant type of neurons in the mammalian brain. In rodents, cerebellar granule neurons are generated during the first two post-natal weeks from progenitor cells in the outermost layer of the cerebellar cortex, the external granule layer (EGL). The protocol presented here describes techniques to enrich and culture granule neurons and their progenitor cells from post-natal mouse cerebellum. We will describe procedures to obtain cultures of increasing purity^3,4, which can be used to study the differentiation of proliferating progenitor cells into granule neurons^5,6. Once the progenitor cells differentiate, the cultures also provide a homogenous population of granule neurons for experimental manipulation and characterization of phenomena such as synaptogenesis, glutamate receptor function⁷, interaction with other purified cerebellar cells^8,9 or cell death⁷.

Protocol

Part 1: Setting up (1-2 days before dissection) (Not shown on video)

1. PREPARING CULTURE SOLUTIONS AND MEDIA:
   • 4X CMF-PBS-EDTA (calcium and magnesium free-phosphate buffered saline-EDTA for Percoll dilutions): per liter, add 32 g NaCl, 1.2 g KCl, 8 g glucose, 2 g NaH₂PO₄, 1 g KH₂PO₄, 8 ml 2% NaHCO₃ stock, 10 ml 1M EDTA (pH 8.0) to distilled/deionized water. Adjust the volume to 1 liter and the pH to 7.4. Filter sterilize.
   • HBSS-GLUCOSE: Add glucose (6 grams/liter) to calcium and magnesium free Hank’s Balance Salt Solution (HBSS) and sterile filter. 500 ml can be stored at 4°C....

Discussion

This protocol is based on modifications of procedures that have been described in the past^3,7,11. There are several important points to note as discussed below.

The granule neurons and progenitor cells adhere within 2 hours of plating. Healthy cells have a round morphology under the phase-contrast microscope⁴. Within 24 hours after plating, healthy cells will spread evenly around the coverslips or the plastic well and will form processes. At the time of the first medium .......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Cell strainer with 70μm mesh pore	BD Biosciences	352350
Spinal Needle	BD Biosciences	405182	20G x 3-1/2 inches
Poly-D-Lysine mol wt>300,000	Sigma-Aldrich	P1024	Each new batch of Poly-D-Lysine must be tested.
Percoll	Sigma-Aldrich	P-1644
Penicillin-Streptomycin (100X)	Sigma-Aldrich	P4333
HBSS	Invitrogen	14175-103	Must be calcium and magnesium free.
Neurobasal A-Medium	Invitrogen	10888-022
Glutamax I supplement	Invitrogen	35050-061
B-27 Serum Free Supplement (50x)	Invitrogen	17504-044
12-mm circle coverslips	Carolina Biological	63-3029	These are made in Germany by Deckgluder.
25-mm circle coverslips	Carolina Biological	63-3037	These are made in Germany by Deckgluder.
Papain Dissociation System	Worthington Biochemical	LK 003150	Kit is good for five isolations.
Permaset scissors	Roboz Surgical Instruments Co.	RS6782
Dumont #5 (Dumostar)	Roboz Surgical Instruments Co.	RS4978
4-well culture dish	Nalge Nunc international	176740
6-well culture dish	Nalge Nunc international	140685