Rat Perineurial Fibroblasts

Perineurial fibroblasts are of mesenchymal origin and form the perineurium. The perineurium plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of the internal peripheral nerve environment by creating a physical barrier that, under physiologic condition, limits the entry of biologically active proteins, infectious agents, and blood-borne cells into the nerve bundles [1]. The perineurial fibroblasts are characterized by distinct ultrastructural features, including non-branching thin cytoplasmic processes coated by an external lamina and joined at their ends by a tight junction, few organelles, actin and vimentin filaments, and numerous pinocytotic vesicles [2]. Perineurial fibroblasts are initially recruited from the surrounding mesenchyme to form a loose, permeable sheath around axons and Schwann cells, where they are separated by the extracellular matrix. These cells later undergo a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition to form tight junctions and organize into the perineurium. Perineurial fibroblasts are immunoreactive for vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen but not for the Schwann cell marker S-100 [3].

RPNF from ScienCell Research Laboratories are isolated from postnatal day 8 CD® IGS rat sciatic nerve. RPNF are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. Each vial contains >5 x 10^5 cells in 1 ml volume. RPNF are characterized by immunofluorescence with antibodies specific to vimentin and fibronectin. RPNF are negative for mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast, and fungi. RPNF are guaranteed to further expand for 5 population doublings under the conditions provided by ScienCell Research Laboratories.

Recommended Medium

It is recommended to use Fibroblast Medium (FM, Cat. #2301) for culturing RPNF in vitro.