title: Characterization of a co-culture system of neurons and hepatocytes.
abstract: A co-culture system of cerebellar granule cells (glutamatergic neurons) and hepatocytes has been developed. Petri dishes divided in halves by a temporary septum were coated with poly-L-lysine and cerebellar granule cells plated in one of the compartments. Five days later hepatocytes were plated in the other compartment and after 2 days the septum was removed and the two cell types shared the same culture medium for a period of 5 days. During this period of time cultures of neurons and hepatocytes kept separately or in co-culture exhibited identical characteristics with regard to activities of pyruvate kinase and glucokinase (hepatocytes), aspartate aminotransferase (neurons) as well as evoked transmitter release (neurons) and content of cytochrome P-450 (hepatocytes). The results show that it is possible to maintain neurons and hepatocytes in co-culture sharing the same culture medium for a prolonged period of time. Such a system may serve as a pharmacological model to study interactions between liver and brain cells with regard to neuroactive drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry A, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Westergaard
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schousboe
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Grunnet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010770:Phosphotransferases