Isolation and age‐related characterization of mouse Schwann cells from dorsal root ganglion explants in type I collagen gels

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Abstract
A technique for isolation of adult Schwann cells (ScC) from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) is described. Decapsulated DRG explants embedded into type I collagen gels were cultured for 3 days in serum‐free medium during which ScC migrated from the explant. These explants were then grown in serum‐supplemented medium to allow ScC proliferation. On day 10 the number of ScC isolated from DRG explants per mouse was about 2.5 × 105, and the purity was greater than 95%. This culture system provided sufficient numbers of highly purified adult ScC in a shorter culture period (2–3 times) than other methods. We used ScC from this method to determine the age‐related changes in attachment, growth, and survival of ScC cultured in serum‐free medium. The attachment capacity of adult ScC on type I collagen or polylysine was similar to that of newborn ScC. However, the collagen promoted growth and survival of adult ScC but not that of neonatal ScC, indicating age‐related differences of ScC properties in vitro.