Alcohol exposure alters pre-mRNA splicing of antiapoptotic Mcl-1L isoform and induces apoptosis in neural progenitors and immature neurons

Primary human fetal neuronal cells (PHFNs) were cultured from matching human fetal donor brains (16–18 weeks of gestation). a Schematic presentation of human immature neurons (1 week in culture), mature neurons (4 weeks in culture), neurospheres (hNSPs), and hNSPs-derived neural progenitors (hNPCs). b Immature neurons, mature neurons, hNSPs and hNPCs were plated in chamber slides, fixed, and immunostained for Nestin (green; hNSPs and hNPCs), and Synaptophysin (green) and Map2 (red) co-staining (immature and mature neurons). Cells nuclei were also counterstained with DAPI (blue). c hNPCs were plated in neural differentiation media and local field potentials (LFP) were tested at 1, 3, and 4 weeks post differentiation by multielectrode arrays (MEA). hNPCs-derived neurons at 1 week were called immature neurons with no LFP recordings and 4 weeks cultures were classified as mature-functional neurons with high LFP recordings. Scale bar represent 50？μ