Credit: Image: Courtesy of Dr. M. Carol Marchetto, Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
Top: When motor neurons (shown in red) are grown in the presence of defective astrocytes their numbers plummet. Bottom: Treating the cultures with apocynin, a powerful anti-oxidant, dramatically increases the survival of motor neurons. All cells' nuclei are labeled blue and neurons are shown in green. Right panel: Only motor neurons are shown.