title: Ultrastructrural observation of the membrane surface of kainic acid-treated hippocampal neurons by atomic force microscopy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the three-dimensional morphological changes on the membrane surface of primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons in response to kainic acid (KA) exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  After isolation and primary culture, Wistar rat hippocampal neurons were treated with KA at the concentrations of 0, 25, and 250 micromol/L for different durations (10 and 100 min) to observe the subsequent changes in the membrane surface structure of the neurons by nano-scale scanning with an atomic force microscope (AFM).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Normal neurons displayed smooth membrane surface with even and regular undulation, while the neurons treated with KA, in contrast, presented degenerative changes characterized by cell swelling and coarse membrane surface with processes and holes. As the treatment was prolonged and KA concentration increased, the changes became more evident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a result of the toxic effect of KA, the membrane surface ultrastructure of rat hippocampal neurons undergo obvious changes, which can be clearly observed and quantitatively analyzed by means of AFM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China. zl-liu@163.net
authors.forename: Zhi-liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ru-xiang
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ying-ge
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: De-tian
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-dan
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yu-xi
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Mou-xuan
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D007608:Kainic Acid