Rodent Retinal Ganglion Cell Cultures

Central neurons lose the ability for axonal regrowth during development and typically do not regenerate their axons following axotomy once they become mature unless given a growth-permissive environment, for example, a peripheral nerve graft. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) of the optic nerve represent a highly useful cell model for the study of neurotrophic factor responsiveness, although the presence of nonneuronal cells in the retina makes it difficult to interpret the direct effects of tested factors on RGCs. Cultures of purified RGCs thus represent an excellent tool for the study of optic nerve cell trophic responsiveness, in terms of both survival and axonal regeneration.