The programmed cell death (apoptosis) of a proportion of the neurons which form plays a critical role in the development of the nervous system and ensures that the correct number of mature neurons are ultimately present. We show that the prior exposure of neuronal cells to an elevated temperature sufficient to induce the heat-shock response partially protects the cells from apoptotic cell death following subsequent transfer to serum-free medium. The degree of protection observed in experiments using different heat-shock or recovery times correlates with the extent of heat-shock protein synthesis. Similarly activation of heat-shock protein synthesis by inducers other than elevated temperature also results in protection from apoptosis.

The mechanism by which the heat-shock proteins may protect neuronal cells from apoptosis is discussed.