Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the central nervous system (CNS). Astrocytes provide a variety of biological functions, such as supporting endothelial cells involved in blood-brain barrier formation, providing nutrients to neurons, maintaining extracellular ion balance, and promoting repair in the CNS. Astrocyte conditioned medium (ACM) has been widely used to support the growth of neurons and endothelial cells in culture. ACM has also been shown to protect neurons from corticosterone-induced damage [1].
Rat ACM is a liquid medium prepared from primary rat astrocyte cultures by using astrocyte medium (Cat #1801) conditioned for 48 hours. The medium is sterile filtered and has a pH of 7.4 when equilibrated in an incubator with an atmosphere of 5% CO2/95% air.