Protocol for purification and culture of astrocytes: useful not only in 2 days postnatal but also in adult rat brain

Astrocytes play the key roles in the physiology and pathology of the CNS. Thereupon, in this manuscript, we aim to demonstrate that the protocol for purification and culture of astrocytes is useful not only in 2 days postnatal but also in adult rat brain. Also, the mentioned protocol is a simple and efficient primary cell culture technique. The whole-brain was isolated from the skull and the meninges were removed carefully. Afterward, the cerebral hemispheres were mechanically and enzymatically digested. Then, the cell suspension was seeded in T25 culture flask and was incubated at 37 °C in the CO 2 incubator. The first shaking was performed after 7–8 days and on day 14, second shaking was done. After 2–3 passage, the culture was analyzed. By passaging, the majority of extracted cells were astrocytes presenting with a polygonal to fusiform and flat morphology that expressed GFAP, GLAST, and S100β. The expression of neural, neuronal and oligodendrocyte markers was not detected in extracted cells. The patch-clamp recording comfirmed the purity of isolated astrocytes as well. The isolated cells from adult rat brain were astrocytes that expressed specific astrocyte markers after 3 and 10 passages. This method is suggested to obtain a population of astrocytes that may provide a beneficial tool for different neurophysiological and pathophysiological studies. Graphic abstract