Elimination of Cell Types from Mixed Neural Cell Cultures

The isolation and purification, or enrichment, of neuronal or glial cell types from central nervous system (CNS) tissues require the application of one of several strategies. It is possible to separate a particular cell type, based on its cell mass or presence of specific cell surface antigens. Differential gradients and centrifugal force (Pretlow and Pretlow 1983 , see also Chapter 10 ), binding a variety of ligands, including magnets, to specific cell surface antigens can be utilized to isolate a cell type before the cells have been planted in cell cultures. Another approach is to plant a mixed cell population in culture, then proceed with purification of the culture, either by elimination of a certain cell type, or by encouraging others to proliferate and overgrow a culture. Selection of a cell type in culture requires the addition of compounds or substitution of specific nutrients to the growth medium.