ORGANOTYPIC CULTURES OF CHICK DORSAL-ROOT GANGLIA IN A SEMISOLID MEDIUM - A MODEL FOR NEUROTOXICITY TESTING

Organotypic cultures of dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) were isolated from 12-day-old chick embryos and cultured in a semi-solid medium for use a s a model for toxicological studies. The mean radial length of neuriti c processes growing out from the ganglia, the daily rate of neurite el ongation, and the area of neurite outgrowth were used as parameters to evaluate the toxic influence of three drugs (cisplatin, taxol and chl orpromazine) that have neurotoxic side-effects through different modes of action on the peripheral nervous system. A significant, dose-depen dent decrease of all parameters of neurite outgrowth was observed in c ultures treated with different concentrations of the chemicals tested. We conclude that the culture system described here may be a useful in vitro method to test target organ toxicity in the peripheral nervous system.