Long-term cultured neurons from rat suprachiasmatic nucleus retain the capacity for circadian oscillation of vasopressin release.
We have developed a dissociated suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) cell culture system in order to begin a cellular analysis of the mammalian circadian oscillator. Monolayer-cultured neurons prepared from the SCN regions of 1-day-old rats were maintained in serum-free culture medium for 3-4 weeks and then perfused. In 12 out of 40 wells, a circadian oscillation of vasopressin release persisted for at least 4-5 cycles until the end of the perfusion period with no damping of the amplitude. This finding suggests that cultured SCN neurons retain the capacity for circadian oscillation for a long time, and should provide a useful model for the analysis of a mammalian circadian system at the cellular level.
Murakami
N
N
Department of Veterinary Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
Takamure
M
M
Takahashi
K
K
Utunomiya
K
K
Kuroda
H
H
Etoh
T
T
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013493:Suprachiasmatic Nucleus / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000378:metabolism*
D014667:Vasopressins