6533b856fe1ef96bd12b1e5f
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Mammalian glial cells in culture synthesize acetylcholine.
Torsten ReinheimerKurt RackéHolger KlapprothFranz-josef SchneiderIgnaz WesslerRudolf Hammersubject
Choline O-Acetyltransferasechemistry.chemical_compoundMicemedicineAnimalsNeurotransmitterCells CulturedChromatography High Pressure LiquidPharmacologyAcetylcholine BromideMicrogliabiologyGeneral MedicineRat brainCholine acetyltransferaseEnzyme assayAcetylcholineCell biologyRatsmedicine.anatomical_structurechemistryBiochemistryAnimals NewbornAstrocytesbiology.proteinMicrogliaAcetylcholineAstrocytemedicine.drugdescription
In the present study we demonstrate that acetylcholine is synthesized by cultured mammalian glial cells identified by cell-type specific markers. Primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes or microglia contained 2.0 and 1.6 pmol acetylcholine/10(6) cells on average respectively. Astrocyte cultures established from neonatal mouse brain contained even more acetylcholine (about 80 pmol acetylcholine/10(6) cells). Primary cultures of rat brain astrocytes showed choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) enzyme activity of 3 nmol/mg protein/h; ChAT activity was blocked by 10 microM bromoacetylcholine. In conclusion, these data demonstrate the synthesis of the "neurotransmitter" acetylcholine in cultured glial cells, a finding which opens a new view upon the role of acetylcholine in mammalian brain.
year | journal | country | edition | language |
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1997-10-28 | Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology |