Fig. 1

Astrocytic migration and nerve fiber outgrowth in E12 VM cultures at 14–35 DIV. E12 VM cultures were fixed at 14 DIV (a), 21 DIV (b), 28 DIV (c), and 35 DIV (d). Vimentin-positive (VIM) astrocytes migrated and formed a monolayer surrounding the tissue piece, and reached significantly longer distances at 21 DIV compared to 14 DIV (e). The distances that the glial-associated nerve fiber outgrowth had reached was significantly increased at 21 DIV and 28 DIV compared to 14 DIV, however at 35 DIV this type of outgrowth had a significant decrease comparing to 21 DIV and 28 DIV cultures (f). The non-glial-associated nerve fibers were absent at all the time points evaluated. TH = Alexa 488, vimentin = Alexa 594, 14 DIV n = 12, 21 DIV n = 11, 28 DIV n = 11, 35 DIV n = 8, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. Scale bar a–d = 100 µm