Temporal neurotransmitter conditioning restores the functional activity of adult spinal cord neurons in long-term culture

    Authors

    M. Das; N. Bhargava; A. Bhalkikar; J. F. Kang;J. J. Hickman

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Exp. Neurol.

    Keywords

    adult rat spinal cord neurons; acetylcholine-chloride; electrophysiology; glutamate (N-acetyl-DL-glutamic acid); motoneuron; neurotransmitters; regeneration; serotonin; serum-free medium; silane; substrate; RAT HIPPOCAMPAL-NEURONS; DEFINED SYSTEM; MOTONEURON; GLUTAMATE; BRAIN; GABA; MICRODIALYSIS; ACETYLCHOLINE; TRANSMISSION; SURVIVAL; Neurosciences

    Abstract

    The ability to culture functional adult mammalian spinal cord neurons represents an important step in the understanding and treatment of a spectrum of neurological disorders including spinal cord injury. Previously, the limited functional recovery of these cells, as characterized by a diminished ability to initiate action potentials and to exhibit repetitive firing patterns, has arisen as a major impediment to their physiological relevance. In this report, we demonstrate that single temporal doses of the neurotransmitters serotonin, glutamate (N-acetyl-DL-glutamic acid) and acetylcholine-chloride lead to the full electrophysiological functional recovery of adult mammalian spinal cord neurons, when they are cultured under defined serum-free conditions. Approximately 60% of the neurons treated regained their electrophysiological signature, often firing single, double and, most importantly, multiple action potentials. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Experimental Neurology

    Volume

    209

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2008

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    171

    Last Page

    180

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000252500900023

    ISSN

    0014-4886

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