Insulin Like Growth Factor-1Promotes Neural Stem Cell-derived Neurons Growth

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have shown that insulin like growth factor1has a neuroprotective effect and can promote neural stem cells into neurons and oligodendrocytes. But there are not studies about axon growth.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of insulin-like growth factor-1on axon growth in the neural stem cell-derived neurons.METHODS:The hippocampus neural stem cells of newborn wistar rats were cultured and passaged. Inoculated them into a culture plate with24holes after3-5generations. The12holes of them in lOμL IGF-1(500mg/L) as the experimental group, the other as control group. Immunohistochemical staining with MAP2was done at the moment(12h, Id,2d,3d,4d). Observation on the migration and differentiation after adhering to the wall.The neuron axon’s length and branch numbers were measured and observed by the Image-pro Plus image processing software in optical microscope.RESULTS:The experimental group containing IGF-1is longer than the control group in neuron axon’s length(P<0.05). But the numbers of axon’s bifurcation have no statistical significance (P>0.05).CONCLUSION:1、IGF-1can promote the extension of axons.2、IGF-1can not increase the numbers of axon’s bifurcation.