Abstract: The aim of the present study was to find out whether Sertoli cells(SCs) can provide trophic factors for cerebral cortex neurons in vitro or not. Fetal mice cerebral cortex neurons were cultured alone,cultrured with Sertoli preconditioned medium(SCM) or cocultured with mice Sertoli cells. Results showed that SCs significantly enhanced the viability and growth of cerebral cortex neurons during early days in vitro. During later days, neurons cocultured with Sertoli cells were still better than the other two groups. So it is testified that Sertoli cells can improve the growth of neurons in vitro. SCM in this research also showed undoubted trophic effect on cerebral cortex neurons in vitro.

Key words: sertoli cells, neurons, cell culture