AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR PROPAGATING OLIGODENDROCYTE PROGENITORS IN-VITRO

Many investigators studying oligodendrocytes in vitro have sought out cell lines because it has been difficult to obtain sufficient numbers of primary oligodendrocytes for study. This paper describes three meth odological improvements that facilitate culturing oligodendrocytes. We show that by detaching progenitor cells using papain instead of tryps in the total yield of oligodendrocyte progenitors can be doubled. We a lso show that papain can be used to subculture differentiated oligoden drocytes. Finally we report that primary O-2A progenitors can be cryo- preserved, reducing the demand upon laboratory personnel to produce an d propagate them. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.