Establishment of highly enriched type-2 astrocyte cultures and quantitative determination of intense glutamine synthetase activity in these cells.
We report procedures that allow one to develop and maintain cultures highly enriched in rat neopallial type-2 astrocytes. Even after four weeks such cultures consist of more than 90% type-2 astrocytes, approximately 5% O-2A progenitors and fewer than 2% type-1 astrocytes. Their survival for more than 5 days requires the addition of conditioned medium from type-1 astrocyte cultures. The type-2 astrocytes have an intense glutamine synthetase activity whose basal level is sevenfold higher than in type-1 astrocytes. The glutamine synthetase activities of both the type-2 and type-1 astrocytes are increased after exposure to cortisol. Thus, type-2 astrocytes express the two quint-essential astrocytic features: glial fibrillary acidic protein (previously reported by others) and glutamine synthetase.
Department of Anatomy, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
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Juurlink
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Hertz
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000032:analysis; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase / Q000032:analysis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D003470:Culture Media; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D005974:Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase