Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Specific stimulation of in vitro maturation of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurones by striatal membranes

Abstract

We have previously established that dissociated mesencephalic dopaminergic (DA) neurones from embryonic mouse differentiate in primary cultures and that their development is enhanced when they are grown in the presence of their target cells from the striatum1–3. The capacity of individual DA neurones to take up and synthesize 3H-DA was increased in co-culture. This phenomenon does not depend on the presence of glial cells because it also occurred in serum-free conditions in which glial development was largely impaired4. Therefore, striatal target neurones favour the maturation of afferent DA neurones. Diffusible or membrane-bound factors could be involved in this process. To test one of these possibilities, we have now examined the in vitro development of embryonic mesencephalic DA neurones exposed to striatal membranes isolated from postnatal mice at various ages. 3H-DA uptake was used as an index of maturation of the DA neurones5. We show that striatal membranes from 2- and 3-week-old animals stimulate the development of DA neurones. The finding that this effect was not seen with membranes from 1-week-old or adult animals suggests that a developmentally regulated membrane-bound ‘factor’is probably involved. This factor seems to be specific for the DA neurones.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Prochiantz, A., di Porzio, U., Kato, A., Berger, B. & Glowinski, J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 5387–5391 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Daguet, M.-C., di Porzio, U., Prochiantz, A., Kato, A. & Glowinski, J. Brain Res. 191, 564–568 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Berger, B. et al. Neuroscience (in the press).

  4. di Porzio, U., Daguet, M.-C., Glowinski, J. & Prochiantz, A. Nature 288, 370–373 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Coyle, J. T. & Campochiaro, P. J. Neurochem. 27, 673–678 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. White, W. F., Snodgrass, S. R. & Dichter, M. Brain Res. 190, 139–152 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Landa, K. B., Adler, R., Manthorpe, M. & Varon, S. Devl Biol. 74, 401–408 (1979).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Hemmendinger, L. M., Garber, B. B., Hoffmann, P. C. & Heller, A. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 1264–1268 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Bonhoeffer, F. & Huf, T. Nature 288, 162–164 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Smalheiser, N. R., Peterson, E. R. & Crain, S. M. Brain Res. 208, 499–505 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Bjerre, B., Björklund, A. & Stenevi, U. Brian Res. 60, 161–176 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Björklund, A., Dunnett, S. B., Stenevi, U., Lewis, M. E. & Iversen, S. D. Brain Res. 199, 307–333, (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Perlow, M. J. et al. Science 204, 643–647 (1979).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. H., Farr, A. L. & Randall, R. J. J. biol. Chem. 193, 265–275 (1951).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prochiantz, A., Daguet, MC., Herbet, A. et al. Specific stimulation of in vitro maturation of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurones by striatal membranes. Nature 293, 570–572 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/293570a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/293570a0

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing