A novel method of neural differentiation of PC12 cells by using Opti-MEM as a basic induction medium

The PC12 cell line is a classical neuronal cell model due to its ability to acquire the sympathetic neurons features when deal with nerve growth factor (NGF). In the present study, the authors used a variety of different methods to induce PC12 cells, such as Opti-MEM medium containing different concentrations of fetal bovine serum (FBS) and horse serum compared with RPMI-1640 medium, and then observed the neurite length, differentiation, adhesion, cell proliferation and action potential, as well as the protein levels of axonal growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43) and synaptic protein synapsin-1, among other differences. Compared with the conventional RPMI-1640 medium induction method, the new approach significantly improved the neurite length of induced cells (2.7 times longer), differentiation rate (30% increase), adhesion rate (21% increase) and expression of GAP-43 and synapsin-1 (three times), as well as reduced cell proliferation. The morphology of induced cells in Opti-MEM medium containing 0.5% FBS was more like that of neurons. Additionally, induced cells were also able to motivate the action potential after treatment for 6 days. Therefore, the research provided a novel, improved induction method of neural differentiation of PC12 cells using Opti-MEM medium containing 0.5% FBS, resulting in a better neuronal model cell line that can be widely used in neurobiology and neuropharmacology research.