A novel metabolic communication between neurons and astrocytes: non-essential amino acid L-serine released from astrocytes is essential for developing hippocampal neurons.
A hippocampal astrocyte conditioned medium (HACM) supported the survival of hippocampal neurons under a serum-, glia-free culture setting. The neurotrophic activity in HACM was mostly recovered in low molecular weight fractions (Mr < 3000), which contained high levels of L-serine and L-alanine. However, L-serine alone significantly improved the neuronal survival and neurite growth in a stereo-specific manner. Other non-essential amino acids had no effect. These results strongly suggest that L-serine, released by astrocytes, is essential for the survival and phenotypic growth of hippocampal neurons.
Mitoma
J
J
Laboratory for Cellular Glycobiology, Frontier Research Program, The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Wako, Saitama, Japan. mitomajy@postman.riken.go.jp
Furuya
S
S
Hirabayashi
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D005333:Fetus; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012694:Serine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D012694:Serine; D005998:Glycine