Some astrocytes don´t attach... - ...but others do (Oct/11/2007 )

hi!

One week ago I started a primary culture of rat astrocytes (rat pups P1). However, in some flasks there are rounded bright cells (see first picture) instead of attached astrocytes I wonder if there´s contamination in the flasks because as you can see there are some little black dots. But in another flasks there are attached astrocytes (see second pic) although there are also some of the rounded cells. I don´t know why since all the flasks come from the same cell suspension.

what are your opinions? thanks

Hi Pumuki,
One of our colleagues here grows astrocytes: those round bright cells (in the 2nd photo) might be microglia. He gets rid of them by hitting the flask hard against his hand to dislodge them (the astrocytes stay attached), them a quick rinse with sterile PBS. That gets rid of the microglia. Sorry I don't know more-I am sure that someone on this board will be of more help. Good luck!
mito 1

Thanks mito1, I´ll try that.