title: Effects of L-serine on neurons in vitro.
abstract: We have examined the influence of amino acids on chicken embryonic dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro and have found that serine has a marked impact on the morphology of the developing neurites. In cultures supplemented with L-serine (but not D-serine) at micromolar concentrations (10-200 microM), the length of the neurites was increased by up to 100% and they were seen to develop a more complex branching pattern. These effects of L-serine were found to be concentration-dependent and stereospecific and were observed on several different substrata such as laminin, Ng-CAM and axonin-1. Similar observations were also made in the case of embryonic retinal explants, while the addition of non-essential amino acids other than L-serine to DRG neurons was found to have no effect. We conclude that, although belonging to the group of non-essential amino acids and not a recognized neurotransmitter, L-serine is an important factor for the morphological differentiation of neurons in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Savoca
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ziegler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sonderegger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count / Q000187:drug effects; D002642:Chick Embryo; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D012694:Serine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012694:Serine