A Schwann Cell-Neuron Coculture System to Study Neuron-Glia Interaction During Axon Degeneration.

Autonomous mechanisms of axon degeneration are frequently studied in vitro by mechanical axon injury of isolated sensory neurons. This has led to major advances in understanding the molecular pathways governing axon degeneration. However, this approach does not pay attention to potential glial mechanisms for the regulation of axon death. Here, I describe a straightforward protocol to seed purified rat Schwann cells on neuronal cultures in order to study the interaction between axons and these glia during axon degeneration.