Neurotrophic Action of Leupeptin, A Protease Inhibitor on Ventral Spinal Cord in Culture

Abstract

Studies with organotypic culture of ventral spinal cord revealed that leupeptin, a protease inhibitor at 10^-4 to 10^-10M exerts a marked growth-stimulating effect. The presence of leupeptin, the neuritic extension of ventral spinal cord exceeds control values 1.5–4.9 times. The growth zone of spinal cord explants increases in the leupeptin treated cultures. The possible mechanism of trophic effect of leupeptin on cultured ventral spinal cord was briefly discussed.

Keywords:

• Organotypic culture
• leupeptin
• protease inhibitor
• trophic factor