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Cellular Localization and Regulation of Glutamine Synthetase in Primary Cultures of Brain Cells from Newborn Mice
Author(s) -
Hallermayer Klaus,
Harmening Christine,
Hamprecht Bernd
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1981.tb05289.x
Subject(s) - glutamine synthetase , dexamethasone , glutamine , cell culture , biology , glucocorticoid , enzyme , basal (medicine) , cell , enzyme assay , endocrinology , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , amino acid , genetics , insulin
The cellular distribution of glutamine synthetase was determined by indirect immunofluorescence in cultures of dissociated brain cells from newborn mice. The enzyme could be detected in about 40% of all cells, among which cells with astrocytic morphology were clearly identified. Treatment with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone led to a strong increase in the number of positively stained cells. Enzyme induction by dexamethasone was maximal after 36 h and at a concentration of 0.1 μM. Under these conditions glutamine synthetase specific activity was elevated about sixfold. Steroid hormones other than corticosteroids had no effect. The basal activity in these cultures was near that found in brains of newborn mice, but far below the activity in adult brains, showing that in culture the normal development of these cells is disturbed. A comparison of glial and neuronal cell lines showed that glutamine synthetase is present in both types of cell lines at a very low specific activity. Inducibility of this enzyme by dexamethasone was found in glial but not in neuronal cell lines.