Studies on rat sympathetic neurons developing in cell culture. I. Growth characteristics and electrophysiological properties

Voltage-activated and calcium-activated currents studied in solitary rod inner segments from the salamander retina

1. Solitary rod inner segments were obtained by enzymatic dissociation of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) retina. Their membrane currents were studied with the single-pipette voltage-clamp technique. Individual currents were isolated with the aid of pharmacological agents.2. Extracellular caesium blocked a current activated by hyperpolarization from -30 mV. Changing external sodium and potassium concentrations altered the value of the reversal potential in a manner consistent with the current being carried equally by both ions.3. Extracellular tetraethylammonium (TEA) blocked a current activated by depolarization from -70 mV. In normal medium this current had a reversal potential of -72 mV. Changing the external potassium concentration altered the value of the reversal potential in a manner consistent with the current being carried predominantly by potassium.4. Extracellular cobalt blocked a current activated by depolarization that had an initial inward and a later outward component.5. After EGTA was injected into an inner segment the outward component was suppressed. Cobalt then blocked an inward current. This current is believed to be carried predominantly by calcium. The conductance increased with depolarization from -45 mV and reached a maximum at approximately 0 mV. Following a step of depolarization the current activated rapidly (< 20 msec) and then remained constant for at least several seconds without evidence of inactivation.6. Injecting caesium into an inner segment eliminated a calcium-activated outward current believed to be carried by potassium ions.7. After the injection of caesium there remained another calcium-activated current with a reversal potential of -17 mV. Changing extracellular chloride concentration altered the value of the reversal potential in a manner consistent with chloride carrying at least 70% of the current. Another anion may carry the balance.8. When the five currents mentioned in items 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 were blocked, the membrane resistance between -90 and -25 mV was linear, time-independent, and had a high value (2.1 GOmega).9. The five identified currents can all be activated in the physiological range of voltage in which salamander rods normally operate.

Electrotonic synapses are formed by fetal rat sympathetic neurons maintained in a chemically-defined culture medium

Principal neurons from the superior cervical ganglia of rat fetuses were maintained for up to 101 days in dissociated cell cultures in a serum-free, chemically-defined medium; non-neuronal cells were killed by the periodic addition of fluorodeoxyuridine to the medium. Intracellular recordings, obtained at various times between 16th and 98th day in vitro, showed that these neurons could generate substantial (up to 90 mV) action potentials in response to depolarizing current injections; these responses were dependent on tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ channels, cobalt-sensitive Ca++ channels, and tetraethylammonium-sensitive K+ channels. Action potentials were often followed by prominent, long hyperpolarizing after-potentials (10-15 mV, greater than 150 ms); the duration of these after-potentials was reduced by the addition of Co++ (2-5 mM) to the perfusate. Acetylcholine depolarized these neurons by a hexamethonium-sensitive mechanism. To determine whether sympathetic neurons formed synapses in a defined medium, intracellular recordings were obtained from pairs of neighboring neurons. Synaptic interactions were frequently observed at all times in vitro (up to 60% of all pairs tested). At many synapses, both hyperpolarizing and depolarizing DC potential changes spread from one neuron to another. At other synapses, the spread of DC potential changes could not be directly demonstrated; however, interactions at such synapses were not inhibited by antagonists of several neurotransmitters, by elevation of the Mg++/Ca++ ratio, or by the addition of Co++. Thus most, if not all, of the synaptic interactions among sympathetic neuron were electronic; such electrical synapses were not observed among dorsal root ganglion neurons maintained in the same medium. These data indicate that, when maintained in a chemically-defined culture medium, sympathetic neurons of rat fetuses express many of the basic membrane properties observed in neurons of superior cervical ganglia recently removed from adult rats. However, fetal sympathetic neurons maintained in this defined medium also differ from their counterparts in vivo; they adopt a mode of synaptic transmission (electrical) that has not been observed in the sympathetic ganglia of the adult rat. Thus, as late as the 21st embryonic day, not only the choice of neurotransmitter, but also the mode of transmission has not been irrevocably determined in sympathetic neurons.

Electrophysiological dysfunction and cellular disruption of sensory neurones during incubation with Treponema pallidum

Treponema pallidum (Nichols strain) was incubated with cultured nerve cells derived from dorsal root ganglia of rat embryos. The electrophysiological response of these neuronal cells was then investigated. Cells exposed to 2 X 10(8) treponemes/ml responded abnormally after 13 hours and failed to respond after 18 hours. In contrast, control preparations exposed to heat-inactivated treponemes or to culture medium responded normally after 72 hours. Extended incubation with viable treponemes resulted in various degrees of nerve cell disruption as shown by scanning electron microscopy. With some cells holes in the cytoplasmic membrane were detected; with others a coagulated matrix of apparent nuclear material and remnants of cytoskeletal elements indicated more severe destruction. These findings may explain the painless nature of many of the clinical manifestations of syphilis as well as the severe damage to central nervous system tissue in tertiary and congenital syphilis.

Effect of serum-free medium on growth and differentiation of sympathetic neurons in culture

Primary cultures of dissociated superior cervical ganglia (SCG) were grown either in serum-containing medium (+FBS) or in serum-free, defined medium (N1). The cultures were then compared for several differentiated properties. Neuronal survival was similar in the two media. Background cell, especially fibroblast, proliferation was less in N1. Small, intensely fluorescent cells were occasionally seen only in +FBS. Catecholamine fluorescence in neuronal processes and cholinergic synaptic activity persisted beyond 1 month in culture in both media. Quantitatively, however, neuritic outgrowth, nerve terminal fluorescence, and synaptic interaction were less in N1. Muscarinic depolarization and electrical membrane properties, including the presence of at least 4 voltage-sensitive outward currents, were similar in the two media. Thus, SCG neurons differentiate in N1 essentially to the same degree as they do in +FBS.

Effects of Ca ions on action potentials in immature cultured neurons from chick cerebral cortex

Action potentials evoked by depolarizing pulses were studied in immature cultured cerebral cortical neurons from chick embryos. The majority of action potentials were rather small, and they were still elicited in the presence of 10(-7) gm/ml tetrodotoxin (TTX), but were almost completely abolished in NA+-free solution or by 10(-5) gm/ml TTX in Tyrode's solution. The elevation of external Ca2+ concentration not only increased the maximum rates of rise of action potentials in normal Tyrode's solution with and without low (10(-7) gm/ml) TTX but also regenerated action potentials in high (10(-5) gm/ml) TTX-containing Tyrode's solution or in Na+-free solution. These high Ca2+ effects were blocked by Mn2+ or Co2+. These results suggest that action potentials, which were predominantly Na-dependent, are partially contributed by Ca ions in immature chick cerebral cortical neurons.

Electrophysiological studies of new-born rat nodose neurones in cell culture

1. Neurones of the nodose ganglion of the vagus nerve were dissociated from new-born rats and grown in the virtual absence of non-neuronal cells and in the presence of nerve growth factor. 2. The resting potentials of the neurones ranged from -40 to -80 mV. Action potentials were of short duration, with no inflexion on the falling phase; others were of longer duration with a hump on the falling phase. 3. The inward current of the action potential was carried either predominantly by Na+ or by Na+ and Ca2+. 4. Tetrodotoxin (1 microM) blocked the Na+ channels of some neurones but in other neurones the Na+ channels were partially or completely resistant to tetrodotoxin (1-10 microM). 5. Many neurones formed excitatory synapses on neighbouring neurones which were blocked or greatly reduced by conventional ganglionic nicotinic antagonists. This indicates that these neurones secreted ACh and expressed ACh receptors at these synapses. 6. The accompanying paper (Baccaglini & Cooper, 1981) reports the effect of co-culturing nodose neurones with non-neuronal cells on the expression of functional nicotinic receptors.

Outward currents in developing Drosophila flight muscle

The development of two different voltage-sensitive potassium channels was studied in Drosophila flight muscle by voltage clamp techniques. Early in development active channels are not present in the membrane. The first channels to appear are the A current channels, which carry a fast, rapidly inactivating potassium current. The channels for delayed rectification appear later. Channels carrying inward current also appear only after the A current channels. During development, the A current may be easily studied in isolation from other currents and thus provides a desirable system for studying the genetic determinants of this current.

Passive properties of the membrane of single freshly isolated smooth muscle cells

Single, smooth muscle cells were isolated from the stomach muscularis of the toad Bufo marinus and studied on the same day as isolation using standard electrophysiological techniques and direct microscopic observation at high magnification. Following penetration a period of hyperpolarization occurred that appeared to be caused by an increase in K+ conductance activated by Ca2+ entering the cell upon penetration. Ion substitution studies showed that the stable steady-state resting potential was dependent on both [Na+]0 and [K+]0. At [Ca2+]0 = 1.8 mM, active responses could be elicited which, at the higher [Ca2+]0 (< 8mM) generally employed, became action potentials with overshoots. Calculations employing the equations for a short cable and the observed change of membrane potential as a single exponential in response to a small hyperpolarizing current step both indicated that the length constant (lambda) was sufficiently greater than the cell length so that the cell behaved as an isopotential surface during subthreshold perturbations. From photomicrographic measurements of each cell studied and the input resistance, values of specific membrane resistance (Rm) were obtained that ranged as high as 152 k omega x cm2 depending on the ionic environment, most notably on [Ca2+]0. The membrane capacity (Cm) referred to the surface area measured with light microscopy was 1.3 +/- 0.3 microF/cm2 (mean +/- SD). When the best estimate of caveolar membrane area was included, Cm referred to total membrane area (caveolar plus noncaveolar) was approximately 0.8 microF/cm2.

Alpha-drenergic inhibition of calcium-dependent potentials in rat sympathetic neurones

1. Post-ganglionic neurones of the rat superior cervical ganglion were studied in vitro (21-26 degrees C) using single intracellular micro-electrode methods. 2. Three Ca2+-dependent potentials were studied: the shoulder on the normal action potential, the hyperpolarizing afterpotential (h.a.p.), and th Ca2+ spike. 3. Bath-applied noradrenaline reversibly inhibited these Ca2+-dependent potentials. The EC50 for inhibition of peak h.a.p. amplitude was about 1 microM. The order of catetholamine potency was: L-adrenaline > L-noradrenaline > D-noradrenaline congruent to dopamine > DL-isoprenaline. Phentolamine (10 microM), an alpha-blocker, but not MJ-1999 (10 microM), a beta-blocker, antagonized the action of noradrenaline. 4. Noradrenaline (10 microM) hyperpolarized most neurones (1-6 mV) studied, with no detectable change in resting membrane conductance. 5. Superfusion with low external Ca2+ and high Mg2+ mimicked the effect of noradrenaline. Either procedure alone antagonized the h.a.p. conductance increase but did not alter the h.a.p. reversal potential. However, in the presence of low Ca2+, high Mg2+, the remaining action potential and h.a.p. were not further reduced by noradrenaline. 6. The Ca2+-dependent shoulder of the action potential did not appear dependent upon GK. Noradrenaline and low Ca2+ antagonized the shoulder when enhanced by TEA+ or Ba2+. 7. Both the rate of rise and amplitude of the Ca2+ spike were antagonized by noradrenaline. 8. We propose that activation of an alpha-adrenoceptor inhibits a voltage-sensitive Ca2+ conductance (GCa(V)), thereby reducing the inward Ca2+ current which may generate the noraml action potential shoulder and the rising phase of the Ca2+ spike. Reduction of Ca2+ current would also reduce the Ca2+-dependent portion of outward K+ current underlying the h.a.p.

Physiological and morphological studies of rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) chemically fused and grown in culture

Cell fusion induced by polyethylene glycol has been used to produce in culture giant multinucleate PC12 cells (up to 300 micron in diameter compared to 10-20 micron for unfused cells). Fused cells, like their unfused counterparts, were found to express various neuronal properties. They contained catecholamines. In the presence of nerve growth factor they extended long processes and expressed Na+, Ca2+, and K+ conductances generally associated with excitable cells. In the absence of nerve growth factor these cells neither grew long processes nor generated Na+-spikes. Other neuronal properties were also observed.