PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C Chatellard-Causse

Publications and source records attributed to C Chatellard-Causse.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Exosomes are released by cultured cortical neurones.

Accumulating evidence shows that several cell types have the capacity to secrete membrane proteins by incorporating them into exosomes, which are small lipid vesicles derived from the intralumenal membranes of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) of the endocytic pathway. Exosomes are expelled in the extracellular space upon fusion of the MVB with the plasma membrane. Exosomal release is a way of secreting membrane proteins meant to be discarded, or to be passed on to other cells. Here, we demonstrate, using primary cortical cultures, that neurones and astrocytes can secrete exosomes. We find that exosomes released by cortical neurones contain the L1 cell adhesion molecule, the GPI-anchored prion protein, and the GluR2/3 but not the NR1 subunits of glutamate receptors. We also show that exosomal release is regulated by depolarisation. Our observation suggests that exosomes may have a regulatory function at synapses and could also allow intercellular exchange of membrane proteins within the brain.

Animals↗

Striatal target-induced axonal branching of dopaminergic mesencephalic neurons in culture via diffusible factors.

The effects of striatal target cells on the morphological development of dopaminergic neurons were studied in dissociated cultures of embryonic rat mesencephalon. Mesencephalic neurons were cultured for four days in presence of target striatal cells or non target cerebellar ones. The outgrowth of dopaminergic neurons, visualized after tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry, was examined by quantitative morphometry. In cocultures, the increased complexity of dopaminergic neurites (branching) was the most striking pattern. It was dependent on the presence of target striatal cells as compared to non target ones. Cultures raised in presence or absence of serum lead to suggest the implication of striatal neurons rather than glia. Using MAP2 and phosphorylated neurofilaments immunohistochemistry in combination with tyrosine hydroxylase immunolabelling, it could be shown that the target-induced branching effect concerned only axonal and not dendritic processes. To further define whether diffusible factors from the striatal target would participate in the axonal branching effect, mesencephalic cells were cultured in conditioned medium from striatal neurons. Striatal conditioned medium enhanced dopamine uptake and dopamine neuron branching to the same extent as that observed in striatal cocultures. These findings demonstrate that soluble factors secreted by striatal neurons themselves selectively influence the branching of dopaminergic axons in vitro.

Animals↗

GDNF: existence of a second transcript in the brain.

The detection of the glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA by RT-PCR in dissociated cell culture of rat embryonic or post-natal brain allowed the amplification of a doublet. The major band corresponded to the expected size and the minor one to a shorter product. We cloned and sequenced the latter product, and thus identified a mRNA potentially encoding for an isoform of the initially described precursor protein involved in GDNF synthesis.

Animals↗