title: [Serotonin as a neurotrophic factor in the fetal brain: binding, capture and release in centers of axonal growth].
abstract: Currently serotonin (5-HT) is recognized as one of the classic neurotransmitters in the adult brain. Results from our laboratory have suggested a trophic role of 5-HT in the fetal brain. Stimulation of 5-HT synthesis during gestation with its precursor, L-tryptophan, has shown the existence of biosynthetic machinery for this amine in the fetal brain. Attempts to demonstrate directly a molecular recognizing system for 5-Ht in the fetal brain have not been conclusive until now. We have profited of a special preparation of axonal growth cones (AGC) derived from neuroblasts of the rat fetal brain. In this neuronal structures actively differentiating we were able to demonstrate a high-affinity and saturable uptake system for 5-HT and the possibility of a regulated release of the amine. In postnatal AGC the 5-Ht uptake has similar kinetics to the adult, whereas fetal AGC have a transitional uptake kinetics with a higher Vmax for the amine. Also in these structures we demonstrated, directly, for the first time, a specific binding system for (3H) 5-HT, saturable, reversible and of high affinity. Altogether, these results strongly support the hypothesis of an important trophic role of 5-HT during neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D.F.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hernández Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin
vernacular_title: La serotonina como factor neurotrófico en el cerebro fetal: unión, captura y liberación en conos de crecimiento axónico.