Effects of Microtubule Stabilization by Epothilone B Depend on the Type and Age of Neurons

Figure 2

Effects of epothilone B on axon growth and cell viability in embryonic dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. (a–c) Embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) DRG neurons were plated at a low density and cultured in the absence or presence of various concentrations of epothilone B, from 1 pM to 1 μM, as indicated. Neurons were fixed after overnight culture (fixed at 16 hr or 24 hr after plating) and immunostained with anti-Tuj1 antibodies. Representative images ((a), inverted images from Tuj1 immunostaining (16 hr culture) and quantification of axon length (b) are shown (gray, 16 hr culture and black, 24 hr culture). Cell viability was assayed by PI staining (c). Scale bar, 100 μm. < 0.05, < 0.01, and < 0.001; ns, statistically not significant.