Isolation, Cultivation and Characterization of Neural stem cells from Persian Sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) Brain

In the present study, we tried to cultivate neural stem cells from different regions of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus) brain, as a chondrostei fish. For this, telencephalon, mesencephalon and metencephalon of the brain were separated, cultivated in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with fetal bovine serum (20% FBS) and maintained at 250C with 5%CO2. Medium was changed every 3s days and replaced with fresh medium. After 2-3 weeks, cells were confluent and passaged. Cells of metencephalon (cerebellum) culture from Persian sturgeon brain (CPS) are still alive after about 7 months and 9 passages and their stocks are available in the laboratory. The cell cultures have been cryopreserved using liquid nitrogen. The survival rate of cells was 70% after thawing. In immonocytochemistry survey, cells were immonopositive for anti-nestin antibody, as a neural stem cell marker. The obtained cultures could be considered as a constant long term culture because of their stability, and could be used in different studies.