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P H Patterson

Publications and source records attributed to P H Patterson.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Determination of transmitter function by neuronal activity.

The role of neuronal activity in the determination of transmitter function was studied in cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons from newborn rat superior cervical ganglia. Cholinergic and adrenergic differentiation were assayed by incubating the cultures with radioactive choline and tyrosine and determining the rate of synthesis and accumulation of labelled acetylcholine and catecholamines. As in previous studies, pure neuronal cultures grown in control medium displayed much lower ratios of acetylcholine synthesis to catecholamine synthesis than did sister cultures grown in medium previously conditioned by incubation on appropriate nonneuronal cells (conditioned medium). However, here we report that neurons treated with the depolarizing agents elevated K(+) or veratridine, or stimulated directly with electrical current, either before or during application of conditioned medium, displayed up to 300-fold lower acetylcholine/catecholamine ratios than they would have without depolarization, and thus remained primarily adrenergic. Elevated K(+) and veratridine produced this effect on cholinergic differentiation without significantly altering neuronal survival. Because depolarization causes Ca(2+) entry in a number of cell types, the effects of several Ca(2+) agonists and antagonists were investigated. In the presence of the Ca(2+) antagonists D600 or Mg(2+), K(+) did not prevent the induction of cholinergic properties by conditioned medium. Thus depolarization, either steady or accompanying activity, is one of the factors determining whether cultured sympathetic neurons become adrenergic or cholinergic, and this effect may be mediated by Ca(2+).

Acetylcholine↗

Role of nerve growth factor in the development of rat sympathetic neurons in vitro. I. Survival, growth, and differentiation of catecholamine production.

To study the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on neuronal survival, growth, and differentiation, cultures of dissociated neonatal rat sympathetic neurons virtually free of other cell types were maintained for 3-4 wk. In the absence of NGF, the neurons did not survive for more than a day. Increased levels of NGF increased neuronal survival and growth (total protein and total lipid phosphate); saturation occurred at 0.5 microgram/ml 7S NGF. Neuronal differentiation examined by measuring catecholamine (CA) production from tyrosine also depended on the level of NGF in the culture medium. As the NGF concentration was raised, CA production per neuron, per nanogram protein, or per picomole lipid phosphate increased until saturation was achieved between 1 and 5 microgram/ml 7S NGF. Thus, NGF induces neuronal survival, growth, and differentiation of CA production in a dose-dependent fashion. Neuronal growth and differentiation were quantitatively compared in the presence of the high and low molecular weight forms of NGF; no significant functional differences were found.

Catecholamines↗

Role of nerve growth factor in the development of rat sympathetic neurons in vitro. II. Developmental studies.

Adrenergic sympathetic neurons were grown for 4 wk in submaximal and saturating concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the virtual absence of non-neuronal cells. In 0.2 or 5 microgram/ml 7S NGF, the neurons gradually decreased in number during the first week, although fewer neurons died at the higher level. No significant change in cell number was observed thereafter. Total neuronal protein, a measure of cell growth, increased linearly with age in both concentrations of NGF. At each age, neurons in high NGF exhibited greater growth per cell than those in low NGF. The ability of neurons to produce catecholamine (CA) increased dramatically during the second and third weeks in both concentrations of NGF, and along a similar time-course, although neurons in submaximal NGF developed a lesser capacity for CA production. As neurons developed in culture, they became less dependent on NGF for survival and CA production, but even in older cultures, approximately 50% of the neurons died when NGF was withdrawn.

Catecholamines↗

Role of nerve growth factor in the development of rat sympathetic neurons in vitro. III. Effect on acetylcholine production.

The effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the development of cholinergic sympathetic neurons was studied in cultures grown either on monolayers of dissociated rat heart cells or in medium conditioned by them. In the presence of rat heart cells the absolute requirement of neurons for exogenous NGF was partially spared. The ability of heart cells to support neuronal survival was due at least in part to production of a diffusable NGF-like substance into the medium. Although some neurons survived on the heart cell monolayer without added NGF, increased levels of exogenous NGF increased neuronal survival until saturation was achieved at 0.5 microgram/ml 7S NGF. The ability of neurons to produce acetylcholine (ACh) from choline was also dependent on the level of exogenous NGF. In mixed neuron-heart cell cultures, NGF increased both ACh and catecholamine (CA) production per neuron to the same extent; saturation occurred at 1 microgram/ml 7S NGF. As cholinergic neurons developed in culture, they became less dependent on NGF for survival and ACh production, but even in older cultures approximately 40% of the neurons died when NGF was withdrawn. Thus, NGF is as necessary for survival, growth, and differentiation of sympathetic neurons when the neurons express cholinergic functions as when the neurons express adrenergic functions (4, 5).

Acetylcholine↗

The military man.

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Attitude↗

The influence of non-neuronal cells on catecholamine and acetylcholine synthesis and accumulation in cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons.

The effects of several non-neuronal cell types on neurotransmitter synthesis in cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons from the new-born rat were studied. Acetylcholine synthesis from radioactive choline was increased 100- to 1000-fold in the presence of non-neuronal cells from sympathetic ganglia. This increase was roughly dependent on the number of ganglionic non-neuronal cells present. The effect did not appear to be due to an increased plating efficiency of neurons, since the non-neuronal cells were capable of increasing acetylcholine synthesis after only 48-hr contact with neurons that had been previously grown without non-neuronal cells for 2 weeks. C6 rat glioma cells were also able to stimulate acetylcholine synthesis, but 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells had little or no effect. None of the non-neuronal cell types synthesized detectable acetylcholine in the absence of the neurons. The ganglionic non-neuronal cells had no significant effect on catecholamine synthesis (which occurs in the absence of non-neuronal cells).

Acetylcholine↗

Primary cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons. I. Establishment of long-term growth in culture and studies of differentiated properties.

Rat sympathetic ganglia were disrupted by mechanical agitation to yield dissociated primary neurons, and the conditions for long-term growth in culture of the isolated neurons were examined. The neurons were grown with or without non-neural cells, simply by the addition or deletion of bicarbonate during growth in culture. Fluorescence histochemistry indicated that the isolated neurons contained catecholamines; incubations with radioactive precursors were used to verify the synthesis and accumulation of both dopamine and norepinephrine. The neurons also produced octopamine using tyramine as precursor, but not with tyrosine as the precursor. In the presence of eserine, older cultures synthesized and stored small amounts of acetylcholine. The cultures did not synthesize and accumulate detectable levels of radioactive gamma-aminobutyric acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine, or histamine.

Animals↗

Primary cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons. II. Initial studies on catecholamine metabolism.

Initial studies are reported on the catecholamine metabolism of low-density cultures of dissociated primary sympathetic neurons. Radioactive tyrosine was used to study the synthesis and breakdown of catecholamines in the cultures. The dependence of catecholamine synthesis and accumulation on external tyrosine concentration was examined and a concentration which is near saturation, 30 microM, was chosen for further studies. The free tyrosine pool in the nerve cells equilibrated with extracellular tyrosine within 1 h; the total accumulation of tyrosine (free tyrosine plus protein, catecholamines, and metabolites) was linear for more than 24 h of incubation. Addition of biopterin, the cofactor of tyrosine hydroxylase, only slightly enhanced catecholamine biosynthesis by the cultured neurons. However, addition of reduced ascorbic acid, the cosubstrate for dopamine beta-hydroxylase, markedly stimulated the conversion of dopamine (DA) to norepinephrine (NE). Phenylalanine, like tyrosine, served as a precursor for some of the DA and NE produced by the cultures, but tyrosine always accounted for more than 90% of the catecholamines produced. The DA pool labeled rapidly to a saturation level characteristic of the age of the culture. The NE pool filled more slowly and was much larger than the DA pool. The disappearance of radioactive NE and DA during chase experiments followed a simple exponential curve. Older cultures showed both more rapid production and more rapid turnover of the catecholamines than did younger cultures, suggesting a process of maturation.

Animals↗

Primary cultures of dissociated sympathetic neurons. III. Changes in metabolism with age in culture.

Several biochemical parameters of dissociated sympathetic neurons from superior cervical ganglia of the newborn rat were monitored as a function of age in culture. The neurons, which were grown in the virtual absence of non-neural cells, displayed a striking increase in their ability to synthesize and accumulate catecholamines. This capacity increased 50-fold during a 3-wk period in vitro, after which it appeared to reach a steady level. The major change took place during the second week. The time course of this change was not affected by plating the neurons at a higher cell density. The change in the catecholamine metabolism was far greater in magnitude and quite different in time course from the overall growth of the cells which was monitored by the incorporation of radioactive tyrosine into protein, lipid synthesis from radioactive choline, and incorporation of radioactive uridine into acid-precipitable material. Of the total tyrosine used by the cultures, the proportion devoted to catecholamine synthesis increased to 25% (a 10-fold rise) during the 3-wk period. This changing pattern of metabolism in the cultures suggested a process of maturation which may be similar to neuronal development in vivo.

Animals↗