title: An immortalized cell line expresses properties of activated microglial cells.
abstract: Murine cultured microglial cells were immortalized after infection with a v-raf/v-myc recombinant retrovirus. This immortalized cell line (BV-2) shares properties with body macrophages with respect to the antigen profile, their phagocytic capacity and antimicrobial activity. BV-2 cells are not constitutively able to kill tumor cells in vitro, but acquire antitumor activity following an increase in [Ca++]i. BV-2 cells, like microglial cells, are however, distinct from peripheral macrophages by their expression of inwardly rectifying K+ channels in concert with a lack in outwardly rectifying K+ channels and the formation of spineous processes. The BV-2 cell line thus represents a suitable model for in vitro studies of activated microglial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bocchini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mazzolla
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barluzzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sick
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kettenmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus; D002176:Candida albicans; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D016259:Genes, myc; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008648:Mesoderm; D051379:Mice; D009113:Muramidase / Q000096:biosynthesis; D027384:Oncogene Proteins v-raf; D009857:Oncogenes; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic / Q000235:genetics*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D015682:Retroviridae Proteins, Oncogenic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D027384:Oncogene Proteins v-raf; D009113:Muramidase