title: Kainate/AMPA receptors expressed on human fetal astrocytes in long-term culture.
abstract: Long-term cultivation of primary human fetal brain cells has yielded a homogeneous population of glial progenitors of extended life span. These human astrocyte precursor (HAP-1) cells have been in culture for greater than 1 year, are diploid, and do not form colonies in soft agar. The culture was established in 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), although cells greatly increase their proliferative rate when both basic fibroblast growth factor and FCS are present in the culture media. HAP-1 cells express the cytoskeletal proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin, and nestin. HAP-1 cells express the AMPA/kainate receptor subunit genes GluRs 1, 3, and 4 and the kainate receptor subunit genes GluR6, KA1, and KA2. Immunohistochemistry confirms the expression of GluR subunit proteins. HAP-1 cells demonstrate a kainate-responsive current found to be blockable by CNQX. HAP-1 cells will serve in the study of human glial cells and ligand-gated ion channels and in the identification of compounds which might act as agonists or antagonists at these receptor-ion channel complexes.
authors.affiliation: Signal Pharmaceuticals, Inc., San Diego, California.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cauley
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kukekov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000362:Agar; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D015415:Biomarkers; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005333:Fetus / Q000166:cytology; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007621:Karyotyping; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000032:analysis; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D000362:Agar; D015415:Biomarkers; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D006133:Growth Substances; D007608:Kainic Acid; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate