Neuroprotective effects of estradiol on motoneurons in a model of rat spinal cord embryonic explants.

ABSTRACT: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset degenerative disorder characterized by motoneuron death. Clinical and experimental studies in animal models of ALS have found gender differences in the incidence and onset of disease, suggesting that female hormones may play a beneficial role. Cumulative evidence indicates that 17β-estradiol (17βE2) has a neuroprotective role in the central nervous system. We have previously developed a new culture system by using rat spinal cord embryonic explants in which motoneurons have the singularity of migrating outside the spinal cord, growing as a monolayer in the presence of glial cells. In this study, we have validated this new culture system as a useful model for studying neuroprotection by estrogens on spinal cord motoneurons. We show for t

SUBMITTER: Cardona-Rossinyol A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11498032 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature