pubmed:abstractText |
When grown in a serum and muscle extract containing medium, about 20% of chick motoneurons survived for one week. The presence of pyruvate during the first hour of culture doubles the number of motoneurons that survive. The subsequent addition of 5 mM alpha-ketoglutarate, 10-20 mM potassium, or 100 microM GM1 ganglioside results in a further increase in motoneurons surviving. These effects of alpha-ketoglutarate, potassium and GM1 ganglioside are not additive. Using such compounds in the culture medium, one can have a three-fold increase in the survival of motoneurons.
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