Laminin promotes attachment and neurite elongation of fetal hypothalamic neurons grown in serum-free medium.

Laminin, as a coating or in solution, allows a rapid attachment of fetal hypothalamic cells in serum-free medium, and strikingly enhances the neurite network development. As compared to cultures grown on a fetal calf serum coating, cells remain in clusters and astrocytes become fibrous. Laminin was visualized by immunocytochemistry in non-neuronal cells. The number of laminin-positive cells was lower in cultures grown in serum-free medium than in those grown in serum-supplemented medium. In both culture conditions, their number decreases with time in vitro.