title: Synapse-competence of LA-N-2 human neuroblastoma cells in coculture with rat striated muscle cells.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether cells of the human neuroblastoma line, LA-N-2, are capable of establishing functional synapses in culture. We used a coculture system in which striated muscle cells from the rat served as postsynaptic targets for the cholinergic LA-N-2 cells. By recording postsynaptic responses from muscle cells, differentiated LA-N-2 cells were found to innervate muscle cells, releasing acetylcholine spontaneously at LA-N-2-muscle synapses. A subpopulation of the LA-N-2 cells forming synapses with the muscle cells also developed the ability to release acetylcholine in response to stimulation. This, coupled with results obtained from experiments examining the time course of synapse formation, led us to propose that the extent to which LA-N-2 cells in our coculture system are differentiated may vary and that this variation may underlie the degree to which they express neuron-like transmission properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Notter
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kordowerr
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Gash
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005971:Glutamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006801:Humans; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014403:Tubocurarine / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D000109:Acetylcholine; D014403:Tubocurarine