Thyroid Hormone Action on Biosynthesis of Somatostatin by Fetal Rat Brain Cells in Culture*

Recent evidence has demonstrated that dissociated fetal rat brain cells in culture synthesize an angiotensin II (ANG II)-like peptide that shares common properties with authentic ANG II, suggesting that brain has a complete renin angiotensin system that is independent of peripheral substrates. Although ANG II has been postulated to function as a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, the release of ANG II from presynaptic nerve terminals has not been established. To investigate the mechanism of ANG II release, brain cells from 20-day gestational age Sprague-Dawley rats were dissociated by mild trypsinization and grown in culture. The cells were maintained in serum-free medium for 5 days prior to experimental analysis. Cultured brain cells were challenged with 59 mM KCl in the presence or absence of 5 mM CaCl2, and the incubation medium was measured for the release of ANG II by radioimmunoassay and high-performance liquid chromatography. The data demonstrate that K+ stimulation results in a rapid and time-dependent release of ANG II-like peptide that is Ca2+ dependent. We have concluded that these findings are consistent with those for other neurotransmitter/neurohormone systems and therefore provide further support for the role of ANG II as a chemical transmitter in the brain.

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Phenotypic properties of neoplastic cell lines developed from fetal rat brain cells in culture after exposure to ethylnitrosourea in vivo

Zeitschrift für Krebsforschung und Klinische Onkologie ◽

10.1007/bf00283783 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 89 (3) ◽

pp. 273-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 79

Author(s):

O. D. Laerum ◽

M. F. Rajewsky ◽

M. Schachner ◽

D. Stavrou ◽

K. G. Haglid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rat Brain ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Neoplastic Cell ◽

Brain Cells ◽

Phenotypic Properties ◽

Cells In Culture ◽

Fetal Rat ◽

Fetal Rat Brain

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Synthesis and Secretion of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and VIP-Prohormone by Fetal Rat Brain Cells in Culture

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1111/j.1749-6632.1988.tb27017.x ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 527 (1 Vasoactive In) ◽

pp. 598-599 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

L. CACICEDO ◽

M. J. LORENZO ◽

M. T. DE LOS FRAILES ◽

S. REICHLIN ◽

F. SANCHEZ FRANCO

Keyword(s):

Rat Brain ◽

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide ◽

Brain Cells ◽

Cells In Culture ◽

Fetal Rat ◽

Fetal Rat Brain

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Development of Monoamine Oxidase and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in Reaggregating Cultures of Fetal Rat Brain Cells

Alternatives to Laboratory Animals ◽

10.1177/026119298901600313 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 281-286

Author(s):

Olof Tottmar ◽

Maria Söderbäck ◽

Anders Aspberg

Keyword(s):

Monoamine Oxidase ◽

Rat Brain ◽

Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ◽

Brain Cells ◽

Mao B ◽

Adult Rat ◽

Fetal Rat ◽

Adult Rat Brain ◽

Mao A ◽

Fetal Rat Brain

The development of monoamine oxidase (MAO) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) in reaggregation cultures of fetal rat brain cells was compared with that of enzymatic markers for glial and neuronal cells. Only MAO-A was detected in the cultures during the first week, but, during the following three weeks, the activity of MAO-B increased more rapidly than that of MAO-A. The ratio MAO-A/MAO-B in four-week aggregates was close to that found in the adult rat brain. The activity of ALDH started to increase rapidly after 15 days, and the developmental pattern was intermediate to those of the glial and neuronal markers. The activity after four weeks was close to that found in the adult rat brain. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) caused a slight decrease in the activities of the low-Km ALDH (after four weeks) and the neuronal marker, choline acetyltransferase (after two weeks), whereas the other markers were not affected. By contrast, the activities of MAO-A and MAO-B were greatly increased during almost the entire culture period. It is suggested that this effect of EGF was the result of increased mitotic activity and/or biochemical differentiation of other cell types present in the cell aggregates, e.g. capillary endothelial cells.

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