Electrophysiological study of mammalian neurons from ventral mesencephalon grown in primary dissociated cell culture.
Mammalian neurons from ventral mesencephalon were grown in primary dissociated cell culture. While dopaminergic neurons were found in culture and used as a marker for this area of the nervous system, our study did not segregate the neurons in terms of their dopaminergic nature. Indeed all of the results were probably from nondopaminergic neurons. Action potentials dependent on sodium and potassium could be elicited from neurons placed in a balanced salt solution. Following blockage of sodium current by tetrodotoxin, and reduction of potassium current by tetraethylammonium and 3-aminopyridine, long-duration action potentials could be elicited by intracellular stimulation. These action potentials were most probably calcium-dependent since they could not be elicited in bathing solution containing manganese, a calcium-conductance blocker.
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005333:Fetus; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology
D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium