Electrophysiological characterization of neural stem/progenitor cells during in vitro differentiation: study with an immortalized neuroectodermal cell line.
Despite the accumulating data on the molecular and cell biological characteristics of neural stem/progenitor cells, their electrophysiological properties are not well understood. In the present work, changes in the membrane properties and current profiles were investigated in the course of in vitro-induced neuron formation in NE-4C cells. Induction by retinoic acid resulted in neuronal differentiation of about 50% of cells. Voltage-dependent Na+ currents appeared early in neuronal commitment, often preceding any morphological changes. A-type K+ currents were detected only at the stage of network formation by neuronal processes. Flat, epithelial- like, nestin-expressing progenitors persisted beside differentiated neurons and astrocytes. Stem/progenitor cells were gap junction coupled and displayed large, symmetrical, voltage-independent currents. By the blocking of gap junction communication, voltage-independent conductance was significantly reduced, and delayed-rectifying K+ currents became detectable. Our data indicate that voltage-independent symmetrical currents and gap junction coupling are characteristic physiological features of neural stem and progenitor cells regardless of the developmental state of their cellular environment.
Jelitai
M
M
Laboratory of Neural Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. jelitai@koki.hu
Anderová
M
M
Chvátal
A
A
Madarász
E
E
D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000166:cytology; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels; D014212:Tretinoin