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Pharmacological models for autoregulation of serotonergic neuronal growih in primary disassociated cell cultures
Author(s) -
Whitaker Patricia M.,
Azmitia Efrain C.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/0736-5748(85)90099-1
Subject(s) - serotonergic , library science , citation , dept , neuroscience , psychology , medicine , biology , computer science , genetics , serotonin , receptor
It is now well established that neurotransnitters play zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA a role in the development of the central nervous system, in addition to their role as transmitters in the mature brain. Ws have developed a phanacological mcdel in primary cell cultures for studying the actions of serotonin in regulating the growth of the neurons which produce it. Fetal rat tissue (embryonic day 14-16) is used as a source of developing serotonergic neurons (fran the raphe region) and post-synaptic elements in the target tissue (generally hippocampus or spinal cord). Co-cultures of these caaponents of the serotonergic synapse are grown in the presence of serotonin agonists (5methoxytryptaninel or antagonists (mianserin or ketaneerin). Aft3r 3 to 5 days in culture the growth of the cells is assessed biochemically (anount of Ii-serotonin uptake) or inwrwytochenically . Using this model, we have obtained data showing the existence of an optimun concentration of neurotransmitter for stimulation of growth and that concentrations above or below this optimun cause inhibition of growth. Furthermore, we have found that both preand post-synaptic elements can be involved in the regulation of growth.