[Effect of acupuncture serum on intracellular Ca2+ concentration in cultured neurons].
OBJECTIVE
To study the humoral factor of acupuncture in improving functional activities of the organism.


METHODS
Neurons of the cerebral cortex from the new born rats were taken to be cultured in a strictly controlled medium. Seven to ten days later, fluorescein-molecular probe Fluo-3AM was used for staining intracellular Ca(2+). Ca(2+) concentration and its changes after application of acupuncture serum were measured by using a laser confocal microscope. Normal serum and acupuncture serum were derived from the normal control rats and the rats undergoing electro-acupuncture of "Baihui (GV 20)", "Zusanli (ST 36)", "Quchi (LI 11)" and "Sanyinjiao (SP 6)" for 2 weeks.


RESULTS
After application of normal serum, the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration increased strikingly immediately at the beginning, and gradually got stable afterwards. When acupuncture serum was added to the culture fluid, Ca(2+) concentration lowered significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that bioactive substances in serum collected from rats undergoing acupuncture can affect the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration of the cerebral neurons, and the humoral factor may participate in the effect of acupuncture in regulating functional activities of the organism.
Li
Rui-Wu
RW
Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100700, China. tcmlrw@263.net
Zhang
Jin-Ling
JL
Guo
Ying
Y
Li
Cui-Hong
CH
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry
D003470:Culture Media; D002118:Calcium