Reanalysis of the protocol for in vitro synchronization of mammalian astrocytic cultures by serum deprivation

Abstract

Serum starvation of astrocytes for a period of time followed by refeeding has been proposed as a method to produce synchronized astrocytes. Here, it is proposed that the method neither synchronizes cells nor satisfies rigorous criteria for cell synchronization. The proposed non-selective, whole-culture synchronization protocol cannot, in theory, synchronize cells. The cells produced by the proposed serum starvation/refeeding protocol do not reflect the properties of any particular cell during the cell cycle. Cells produced by the published protocol will have a wide distribution of cell sizes, and therefore, the cells produced by starvation/refeeding will not model cells of any specific age during the division cycle. Thus, the proposed protocol will not produce a synchronized culture.