Cerebrospinal fluid supports viability and proliferation of cortical cells in vitro, mirroring in vivo development

BACKGROUND: The central nervous system develops around a fluid filled compartment. Recently, attention has turned to the potential role of the fluid (cerebrospinal fluid, CSF) in the developmental process. In particular, the cerebral cortex develops from the germinal epithelium adjacent to the CSF with regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation provided by cells adjacent to the fluid-filled subarachnoid space. METHODS: Histological analysis of fetal rat cortical sections was used to follow the extent of in vivo cortical development. A quantitative analysis of proliferation and migration of cortical cells at E17 – E21 was obtained through immunocytochemical staining of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) -labelled cells. In vitro studies were performed on primary cortical cells at days E17-E20, maintained in either Neurobasal media or 100% fetal rat CSF for 72 h before analysis of proliferation. RESULTS: The proliferation potential of primary cortical cells varied depending on the age of extraction. E17 and E20 cells showed little proliferation while E18 and E19 cell showed the maximum. The CSF from fetuses of all ages tested, except E21, was able to maintain primary cortical cells from the developing fetus in vitro and to stimulate and support their proliferation in the absence of any additions. E17 cells showed little proliferation in any media while E19 cells showed maximum proliferation in E19 and E20 CSF. CONCLUSION: CSF composition most probably changes with age, as does the proliferation potential of cells in the developing cerebral cortex. CSF alone supports viability as well as proliferation of cortical cells. CSF must therefore be regarded as an important environmental influence in brain development and can be used in vitro to maintain both the viability of cortical progenitor cells and their age-related proliferative potential.