Voltage-gated Currents in Rabbit Retinal Astrocytes

The voltage-gated currents of the astrocytes associated with the retinal capillaries of the rabbit retina were studied using whole-cell patch clamp recording. The resting potential of these cells was −70 ± 4.8 mV (mean ± SEM; n = 54), and the input resistance and cell capacitance were 558 ± 3.6 MΩ and 19.5 ± 1.8 pF respectively. Depolarization to potentials positive to −50 mV evoked rapidly activating inward and outward currents. The inward current was transient, eliminated by substitution of choline for Na⁺ in the bathing solution, and reduced by 50% in the presence of 1 μM tetrodotoxin. The time-to-peak of the Na⁺ current was more than twice that for the Na⁺ current found in retinal neurons. The glial Na⁺ current was half-inactivated at −55 mV. A transient component of the outward K⁺ current was blocked by external 4-aminopyridine while a more sustained component was blocked by external tetraethylammonium. At potentials between −150 and −50 mV the membrane behaved Ohmically. Voltage-gated currents in retinal astrocytes recorded in situ appear qualitatively similar to those described for some glial cells in vitro.     

Glial localization of four‐repeat tau in atypical progressive supranuclear palsy

In the present case, a patient in whom limb apraxia and asymmetrical parkinsonism developed suggesting corticobasal degeneration, is reported. Neuropathologic examination revealed numerous tufted astrocytes in the precentral cortex in addition to the characteristic pathologic findings of PSP. Therefore, on the basis of clinicopathologic features, atypical progressive supranuclear palsy was diagnosed. In addition, the brain tissue of the present patient was investigated with an antibody specific for four‐repeat tau (4R‐tau). In the precentral cortex, numerous tau‐positive tufted astrocytes, pretangles, and threads were positive for 4R‐tau. Using a confocal microscopy we demonstrated that tufted astrocytes positive for 4R‐tau were adjacent to astrocytes positive for GFAP. The present findings suggest that accumulation of four‐repeat tau in astrocytes is a degenerative process rather than a reactive process.     

Leukaemia Inhibitory Factor or Related Factors Promote the Differentiation of Neuronal and Astrocytic Precursors within the Developing Murine Spinal Cord

Previously we have shown that leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) potentiates the development of murine spinal cord neurons in vitro , suggesting that it, or related factors, may play an important regulatory role in neuronal development. We have further investigated this role and show here that the generation of neurons in cultures of embryonic day 10 spinal cord cells is inhibited by antibodies to the β subunit of the LIF receptor. Since there are more undifferentiated precursors in antibody-treated cultures than in control and LIF-treated cultures, it is concluded that the primary action of LIF, or related molecules, is to promote neuronal differentiation, not precursor survival. In addition, the failure of LIF to support neuronal survival in the period immediately following differentiation suggests that the increased numbers of neurons generated with LIF are not attributable to its neurotrophic action. By selecting neuronal precursors on the basis of their inability to express class I major histocompatibility complex molecules, it was shown that LIF acted directly upon these cells and not via an intermediary cell. LIF also appears to be involved in regulating the differentiation of astrocytes, since it increases the number of glial fibrillary protein (GFAP)-positive cells present in the cultures and since the spontaneous production of GFAP-positive cells is blocked by antibodies to the LIF β receptor. These findings suggest that LIF or related factors promote the differentiation of neural precursors in the spinal cord, but that they are not involved in preferentially promoting precursors down a specific differentiation pathway.     

Pharmacological properties of the norepinephrine-induced depolarization of astrocytes in primary culture: evidence for the involvement of an α1-adrenergic receptor

The membrane potentials of astrocytes in primary cultures prepared from neonatal rat cerebral cortices were depolarized by (−)-norepinephrine. The average first response to 10⁻⁵ M (−)-norepinephrine was 24 mV from an average resting potential of −68 mV, and the average for the second response was 14 mV. Thus this process showed marked desensitization. The response was attributed to an activation of an α₁-receptor since it was about 1000 times more sensitive to inhibition by prazosin than to yohimbine or idazoxan. In addition, depolarization was seen to the application of 10⁻⁵ M phenylephrine.     

Confocal observation of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease: Senile plaque morphology and relationship between senile plaques and astrocytes

Senile plaques In the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) were examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with the following three findings. First, in sections stained with Congo red, the serial CLSM images of optical sections clearly revealed that a classic plaque is composed of a plaque core and a corona. Radially arranged process-like structures, corresponding to bundles of amyloid fibrils, formed amyloid cores and stronger signals were detected in the center of some cores. Second, in sections stained with Congo red and anti-gllal fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), reactive astrocytes were found around the senile plaques and many astrocytlc processes surrounded the plaque cores and some processes had penetrated into them. Third, three-dimensional reconstruction on classic plaque revealed that the surface of classic plaque showed a 'coral-like' appearance.     

己酮可可碱对选择性坐骨神经分支损伤大鼠脊髓星形胶质细胞的影响

目的观察己酮可可碱腹腔注射对选择性坐骨神经分支损伤大鼠(SNI)脊髓星形胶质细胞的影响。方法切断腓总神经和胫神经保留腓肠神经,制作坐骨神经分支选择性损伤模型。雄性SD大鼠48只随机分为:假手术组(Sh)、模型组(SNI)、己酮可可碱组(PTX)。PTX组从术前1d起至术后6d连续7d,每日一次腹腔注射己酮可可碱100mg/kg。观察指标包括:术前1d,术后1、3、5、7、14d的机械缩足反射阈值(MWT)和热缩足反射持续时间(TWD);不同组别脊髓星形胶质细胞标志物GFAP在术后1d、3d、7d、14d的表达。结果大鼠坐骨神经选择性切断后1d起MWT降低,TWD延长,与假手术组比差异显著(p<0.05);己酮可可碱腹腔注射抑制MWT降低和TWD延长,与模型组相比差异显著(p<0.05);己酮可可碱腹腔注射可减少部分坐骨神经切断后脊髓GFAP的表达,减少星形胶质细胞阳性细胞数。结论己酮可可碱腹腔注射可抑制SNI脊髓星形胶质细胞的增生,减轻痛觉超敏和痛觉过敏。     

Abnormal distribution of cathepsins in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded hippocampal sections of brains with early-onset and late-onset Alzheimer's disease were studied immunohistochemically with antisera against cathepsin D and cathepsin B. In addition to the staining of neuronal perikarya, some of the senile plaques visualized by Bielshowsky silver staining and some of reactive astrocytes were positively stained with the antisera against cathepsin D and cathepsin B in brains with Alzheimer's disease. Abnormal localization of cathepsin D and cathepsin B immunoreactivity in neuronal perikarya was observed in brains with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. These findings demonstrate that the distribution of lysosomal proteases was altered in brains with Alzheimer's disease, suggesting the primary and/or secondary involvement of the lysosomal proteases in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease.     

星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联失衡在AD发生进展中的作用及益肾填髓中药的干预机制

星形胶质细胞是中枢神经系统(CNS)重要的神经细胞类型,主要发挥营养与支持作用。星形胶质细胞与神经元之间存在密切的能量与物质偶联关系,能量偶联与物质偶联两者紧密关联、交互为用。近年来大量研究显示,星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联失衡在阿尔茨海默病(AD)的发生与进展中发挥核心作用,星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联网络失衡已成为AD干预的重要靶标并受到日益关注。中医学认为,AD的主要病机是肾虚髓亏,临床常用益肾填髓中药方剂治疗AD取得较好效果。研究发现大量益肾填髓方剂对星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联失衡具有调节和保护作用,中药方剂治疗AD的益肾填髓功效可能与其调节星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联失衡有一定的内在联系。该文就星形胶质细胞-神经元偶联失衡与AD肾虚髓亏病机之间可能内在联系及益肾填精中药干预机制的研究进展做一综述。     

Developmental transition in plasticity properties of differentiating astrocytes: age-related biochemical profile of plasminogen activators in astroglial cultures

Plasminogen activator (PA) is a key enzyme in control of the cascade of extracellular proteolytic activities, proteases that degrade the extracellular components. Mammalian cells produce two molecular forms of PA, the urokinase type (u-PA) and the tissue type (t-PA); the u-PA type enzyme regulates cell migration/invasion and related tissue plasticity events. Thus, these plasticity properties of cells are defined by their PAs' biochemical profiles. The capacity of the differentiating glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) to express and regulate the two types of PA activities has been examined as a function of cell age in culture. Results of the study suggest that only the immature astrocyte is endowed with these plasticity properties. Differentiating heterogeneous rat glial cells in culture express PA activity. Astroglia were identified as the primary source for the glial PA activity, as no PA activity was detected in the purified oligodendroglia. Cellular PA activity levels of differentiating rat and mouse astroglia are developmentally regulated. The specific activity of PA reached its highest level in rat astroglia at a cell age corresponding to 20-32 postnatal days (P20-P32) and in mouse astroglia at P8-P14; thereafter, this declined (three- to fourfold decrease) within 2 weeks to a low value. At comparable ages (P0-P35), the magnitudes of the PA specific activities of the differentiating rat astroglia and of the developing cerebrum, the tissue from which these cells were purified, were similar. Differentiating rat astroglia produce u-PA and t-PA, the cellular content of both is developmentally regulated, and the u-PA form is only found in the immature cells. u-PA is the predominant form in the immature astrocyte until age P13. Both forms are found in cells at ages P14-P30, and at later stages u-PA disappears while the t-PA type persists as the sole form. After 3 more weeks neither of the PA types was detected. Astroglia express also PA inhibitory activity; the rat astroglial PA inhibitor (PAI) seemed to be identical to PAI-1, one of the known types of PAIs. Stimulation of astroglial proliferation by their subculturing in contrast to Schwann cells did not lead to an increase; rather, beyond a certain cell age (P13) it resulted in a threefold irreversible decline in the PA specific activity of the daughter cells. It has been established that various biochemical properties of CNS mature glia appear on schedule with cell age in culture, thus defining "mature"glia in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)