Preparationofneuralstemcellculturemedium
1.ThawN-2supplement(100X)(Cat.no.17502-048,LifeTechnologies)andB-27serumfreesupplement(50X)(Cat.no.17504-044)overnightat4°C.
2.Addthe5mLofthawedN-2supplement,10mLofthawedB-27supplement,20ng/mlbFGF(Cat.no.bFGF-50,StemRD)and20ng/mlEGF(Cat.no.EGF-50,StemRD)to500mLofDMEM/F12medium(Cat.no.15-090-CV,Cellgro)aseptically,andmixwell.Filterthrougha0.2μm,low-proteinbindingfilter,ifdesired.
3.Aliquotintoappropriateamountaccordingtousageandstorethealiquotsat4°C.
Coatingplateswithpoly-l-ornithineandlaminin
1.Dilutepoly-l-ornithine(Cat.no.P3655,Sigma)oniceusingsteriletissueculture-gradewater.Aliquotthedilutedpoly-l-ornithinandkeepthealiquotsin-80°Cuntiluse
2.Aliquotlaminin(Cat.no.L2020,Sigma)oniceandkeepthealiquotsin-80°Cuntiluse.
3.Add1mLofpoly-l-ornithine(20µg/mL)toonewellofa6-wellplate,andincubateat37°Cfortwohours.
4.Aspiratepoly-l-ornithineandrinsethewelltwicewith1mLofDPBS.Add1mLoflamininsolution(5µg/mL)inthewellandincubateat37°Cfor2hours.
5.Aspiratethelamininbeforeplatingcellsorstoreplateat4°Cuntilneeded.
CoatingplateswithMatrigel(alternativeplatecoatingmethod)
Matrigel(Cat.no.354277,BD)shouldbealiquotedandstoredat-80°Cforlong-termuse.
1.Thawthematrigeloniceuntilliquid.Dilutematrigel1:50withpre-chilledKODMEM/F12.
2.Immediatelyusethedilutedmatrigelsolutiontocoattissueculture-treatedplates.Fora6-wellplate,use0.8mLofdilutedmatrigelsolutioninoneofthewells,andswirltheplatetospreadthematrigelsolutionevenlyacrossthesurface.
3.Keepthecoatedplateat37°Cfor1hourorovernightat4°C.Ifplatehasbeenstoredat4°C,allowtheplatetoincubateat37°Cforatleast30minutesbeforeremovingthematrigelsolution.
Preparationofneuralstemcellfreezingmedium
1.Add9mLofneuralstemcellculturemediumwith1mLofDMSOina15mLconicaltube.Keepitat4°Cuntiluse.Prepareneuralstemcellfreezingmediumimmediatelybeforeuse.Donotstore.
ThawingcryopreservedhNSC
1.QuicklythawtheNSCsina37°Cwaterbathbygentlyshakingthecryovialcontinuouslyuntilhalfthawed.Removethecryovialfromthewaterbathandspraywith70%ethanoltosterilize.
2.Transferthecontentsofthecryovialtoa15ofmLconicaltube.Add5mLofwarmN2/B27mediumcontainingbFGFandEGFtothetube,gentlymixingasthemediumisadded.
3.Centrifugecellsat200xgfor5minutesatroomtemperature.
4.Whilecentrifuging,removethematrigelsolutionfromacoatedtissueculture6-wellplate.Add1mLofwarmN2/B27mediumcontainingbFGFandEGFtoonewellofthe6-wellplate.
5.Aftercentrifugation,aspiratethemediumfrom15mLtube.GentlyresUSPendthecellpelletin1mLN2/B27mediumcontainingbFGFandEGF,followingbytransferringthecellstothematrigelcoated6-wellplate.
6.Movetheplateinquicksidetoside,forwardtobackmotionstoevenlydistributethecellswithinthewell,andthenplacetheplateintothe37°Cincubator.Culturethecellsat37°C,with5%CO2and95%humidity.
7.Changemediumineverytwodays.
1.Passagecellswhenthecellsreach80-90%confluence.
2.AspiratemediumfromthehNSCcultureandrinsewithDPBS(2mL/well).
3.Add0.5mLperwellofaccutase(Cat.no.SCR005,Millipore).Keeptheplateat37°Cfor2-3minutes.
4.Neutralizetheaccutasewith1mlofN2/B27mediumcontainingbFGFandEGF.Gentlyrinseeachwell2-3timestoliftupmostofthehNSCs.
5.Transferthedetachedcellstoa15mLconicaltubeandrinsethewellwithanadditional2mLofN2/B27containingbFGFandEGFtocollectanyremainingcells.Addtherinsetothe15mLtube.
6.Centrifugethe15mLconicaltubecontainingthecellsat200xgfor5minutesatroomtemperature.
7.Aspiratethesupernatant.ResuspendthepelletinN2/B27containingbFGFandEGFbygentlypipettingupanddown.
8.PlatethehNSCsusing1:6ratioswith2mLN2/B27mediumcontainingbFGFandEGFinanewplatecoatedwithpoly-l-ornithineandlamininormatrigel(Removethecoatingsolutionbeforeplatingthecells).
9.Movetheplateinquicksidetoside,forwardtobackmotionstoevenlydistributethecellswithinthewells,andthenplacetheplateintothe37°Cincubator.Culturethecellsat37°C,with5%CO2and95%humidity.
10.Changemediumoncepertwodays.
CryopreservinghNSCs
1.PreparethehNSCsfreezingmediumandkeepthefreezingmediumin4°Cuntiluse.
2.Performsteps1-6fromPassagingthehNSCsasabove
3.Gentlyaspiratethesupernatantandloosenthecellpelletbytappingthebottomofthetube.
4.Gentlyresuspendthepelletinfreezingmedium.
5.Transfer1mLofcellswithfreezingmediumintoeachlabeledcryogenicvial.
6.Placevialsintoanisopropanolfreezingcontainerandplacethecontainerat-80°Covernight.
7.Transferthevialtoaliquidnitrogentankthenextday.