Figure 8

BDNF increases the total number of differentiating neurons by inducing proliferation. Cells from St. 29/30 (E6.5) lumbar sympathetic ganglia were cultured in control medium (white bars) or control medium containing 200 ng/ml BDNF (dark bars) for 24 hrs, then fixed and stained with anti-p75NTR and anti-Hu C/D. BDNF increases the total number of p75NTR-positive cells as well as the total number of neuronal (Hu C/D+), but not non-neuronal (Hu C/D-) cells. Data represent mean ± SEM of three cover slips for each condition. *Denotes statistical significance (p < 0.05), Student's t-test. (B) Cells were labeled with BrdU for the first 12 hours in culture, then fixed and stained for BrdU and Hoechst dye 24 hrs after plating. BDNF increases the number of BrdU-positive cells compared to control. Data represent mean ± SEM from six independent experiments. *Denotes statistical significance (p < 0.05, Students' t-test).