Electrophysiological characterization of neural stem/progenitor cells during in vitro differentiation: study with an immortalized neuroectodermal cell line |
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Authors: | Jelitai M Anderová M Chvátal A Madarász E |
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Affiliation: | Laboratory of Neural Cell and Developmental Biology, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. jelitai@koki.hu |
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Abstract: | Despite the accumulating data on the molecular and cell biological characteristics of neural stem/progenitor cells, their electrophysiological properties are not well understood. In the present work, changes in the membrane properties and current profiles were investigated in the course of in vitro-induced neuron formation in NE-4C cells. Induction by retinoic acid resulted in neuronal differentiation of about 50% of cells. Voltage-dependent Na+ currents appeared early in neuronal commitment, often preceding any morphological changes. A-type K+ currents were detected only at the stage of network formation by neuronal processes. Flat, epithelial- like, nestin-expressing progenitors persisted beside differentiated neurons and astrocytes. Stem/progenitor cells were gap junction coupled and displayed large, symmetrical, voltage-independent currents. By the blocking of gap junction communication, voltage-independent conductance was significantly reduced, and delayed-rectifying K+ currents became detectable. Our data indicate that voltage-independent symmetrical currents and gap junction coupling are characteristic physiological features of neural stem and progenitor cells regardless of the developmental state of their cellular environment. |
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Keywords: | neural stem/progenitor cells passive current gap junction coupling neuronal commitment |
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