Figure 2

ATP is released from astrocytes, microglia and mixed glial cultures.

(a) Rt astrocyte monocultures released ATP in response to MeHg^high (1 or 3 μM for 3 h) but not to MeHg^low (i.e., 0.01 or 0.1 μM for 3 h) (n = 15–24, **p < 0.01 vs. control, one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher's LSD test). (b) Microglia released ATP in response to a limited concentration window. MeHg^high did not induce ATP release from Rt microglia monocultures. At 0.1 μM, MeHg significantly increased the extracellular ATP level (n = 24–28, **p < 0.01 vs. control, one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher's LSD test). (c) Mixed glial cultures released ATP in response to both MeHg^low and MeHg^high. Microglia/astrocyte mixed cultures released ATP in response to 0.1–3 μM of MeHg (for 3 h) (n = 10–16, *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 vs. control, one-way ANOVA followed by Fisher's LSD test). Glial cells were serum starved for 24 h before MeHg treatment. Values are the means ± SEM for all groups.