Survival and differentiation of dopaminergic neurons can be regulated by soluble factors from cortex in vitro.
The transplantation of dopaminergic (DA) neurons is used for treating Parkinson's disease. However, their actual application is restricted by a limited source of DA cells. Here we report that DA cells can be increased 5- to 10-fold in vitro by the soluble factors from cortex in early developmental stages, which is much more than any previously identified growth factors such as BDNF, GDNF and NT3. We also show that the effect of the soluble factors from cortex is stronger than those of midbrain at embryonic early developmental ages. In contrast, at middle ages the soluble factors from midbrain present a much stronger effect. These findings suggest that the development of DA cells may be regulated by growth factors in a complex spatial and temporal network.
Department of Biological Science and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China 100084.
Yanxin
Y
Pei
Xiangping
X
He
Zuoping
Z
Xie
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D048429:Cell Size / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology; D016501:Neurites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D000242:Cyclic AMP; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D004298:Dopamine