Abstract:OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of ganglioside 1 (GM1) and nerve growth factor (NGF) on neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation in vitro. METHODS: NSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro. NSCs were cultured in the medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) or without the two agents. Different concentrations of GM1 and NGF were added into the two different medium. MTT and cell ball counting methods were used to ascertain the proliferation of NSCs. Immunohistochemical technology was used to observe the effect of GM1 and NGF on the proliferation of NSCs. RESULTS: High concentrations of GM1 (100 ng/L and 200 ng/L) promoted significantly the proliferation of NSCs in the medium containing EGF and bFGF (P<0.05). In the differentiation medium containing serum but no EGF and bFGF, NSCs proliferation increased with increasing concentration of GM1; the proportion of neurons and gliacytes increased with increasing concentration of NGF. CONCLUSIONS: High concentration of GM1 can promote NSCs proliferation and NGF can promote NSCs differentiation.［Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2009, 11 (10):841-845］
