Indirect ultrastructural evidence for lithium uptake by cultured rat cerebral cells through the sodium channel.
Cerebral cortices, prepared from 18-day-old rat embryos, were grown in explant cultures for 18 days. They were then incubated for 25 min in media of 3 types of cationic composition with and without tetrodotoxin and/or veratridine. Qualitative and quantitative ultrastructural observations revealed a considerable swelling of neuronal elements following veratridine exposure in both Na+ and Li+ media; this swelling was prevented by tetrodotoxin. By contrast, veratridine failed to induce swelling of neuronal profiles in a choline+ medium. The results indirectly indicate that Li+ ions enter cultured rat cerebral cells through the Na+ channels.
D000818:Animals; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008094:Lithium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014701:Veratridine / Q000494:pharmacology
D007473:Ion Channels; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D014701:Veratridine; D008094:Lithium; D012964:Sodium