Coculture of rat melanotrophs with hypothalamic cells enhances differentiation of dopaminergic neurons

Molecular and Cellular Neurosciences
J L CharliC Kordon

Abstract

The interaction between a glandular target and hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons during development was studied by cocultivating dispersed fetal hypothalamic and adult intermediate lobe rat cells in serum-free medium. In such conditions, hypothalamic neurons aggregated around intermediate lobe cells and were interconnected by well-developed neurites. They could be grown in coculture at lower density than alone. In regard to dopaminergic activity, both tyrosine hydroxylase content and accumulation of [(3)H]DA in the cells were significantly increased in coculture after 6 days in vitro (DIV). These effects persisted until 18 DIV, but were progressively reduced with time. Other neuronal activities (choline acetyltransferase activity or thyroliberin content) were not modified by coculture. Furthermore, dopaminergic activity was not stimulated when hypothalamic neurons were grown in the presence of anterior pituitary cells, nor mesencephalic neurons together with intermediate lobe cells, suggesting selectivity of intermediate lobe cells on hypothalamic DA neurons. After radioautographic labeling of DA neurons at 6 DIV, morphometric analysis revealed that the presence of intermediate lobe cells increased the number of branching point...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 31, 1994·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·I GozesT W Moody
Jan 14, 1994·Brain Research. Developmental Brain Research·G M SeigelD M Gash
Jun 14, 2006·Neurobiology of Aging·Florence RageLucia Tapia-Arancibia

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