Cultured neuronal systems

The first report of the action of a chemokine on neurons was published in 1993. The study demonstrated that IL-8 could increase the survival of cultured neurons (Araujo and Cotman, 1993). However, as can be appreciated from its name, IL-8 was not known to be a chemokine at that time and was instead classed as an interleukin. Indeed, the expression of chemokine receptors by neurons was not generally appreciated until around 1997/1998 when several reports suggested this. These reports included observations of the expression of chemokine receptors by neuronal cell lines (Hesselgesser et al. 1997), primary cultures of neurons (Meucci et al. 1998 Ohtani et al. 1998), and in brain sections from HlV-1, Alzheimer s disease, and other patients (Horuk et al. 1997 Westmoreland et al. 1998 Xia et al. 1997). Furthermore, data were obtained, suggesting functions for chemokine signaling in the development of the nervous system (Zou et al. 1998) as well as in neuronal survival and communication (Giovannelli et al. 1998 Meucci et al. 1998). 

These approaches to receptor identification and classification were, of course, pioneered by studies with peripheral systems and isolated tissues. They are more difficult to apply to the CNS, especially in in vivo experiments, where responses depend on a complex set of interacting systems and the actual drug concentration at the receptors of interest is rarely known. However, the development of in vitro preparations (acute brain slices, organotypic brain slice cultures, tissue-cultured neurons and acutely dissociated neuronal and glial cell preparations) has allowed more quantitative pharmacological techniques to be applied to the action of drugs at neurotransmitter receptors while the development of new recording methods such as patch-clamp... 

The polymer/SWCNT composites can be used as Scaffolds in tissue engineering. The donor-acceptor interactions can be used to assemble thin polymer/SWCNT films stepwise. This method also can be expended to more thermally and oxidatively stable polymer systems. For example, the P4VP/SWCNT films can be used as scaffolds for the synthesis of novel hybrid structures (Correa-Duaite et al., 2004). The polyethyl-enimine (PEI)-SWCNTs composites were used as a substrate for cultured neurons, and promoted neurite outgrowth and branching (Rouse et al., 2004). Correa-Duarte et al. (2004 Landi et al., 2005) reported that 3D-MWCNT-based networks are ideal candidates for scaffolds/matrices in tissue engineering. 

Schousboe, A., Drejer, J., Hansen, G.H., and Meier, E. 1985. Cultured neurons as model systems for biochemical and pharmacological studies on receptors for neuroh ansmitter amino acids. DevNeurosci 7, 252—262. 

Although GLT has only been detected in astroglial cells in the normal and mature nervous system [with the exception of retina where bipolar cells and amacrine cells normally express GLT protein (Rauen et al., 1996)], this does not mean that neurons never express GLT. Several populations of neurons express GLT during the development of the nervous system (see Section 4.6), but the neuronal expression is transient and disappears on maturation. GLT has also been frequently observed in cultured neurons (Brooks-Kayal et al., 1998 Mennerick et al., 1998 Meaney et al., 1998 Stanimirovic et al., 1999 Plachez et al., 2000). In newborn piglets, GLT may also appear in neurons after hypoxia-ischemia (Martin et al., 1997) showing that the cellular expression can potentially change. 

Schisandrin has extensive inhibitory effects on the CNS, which is characteristic of neuroleptic drugs [240], and isoamericanol A, americanol A and americanin A enhanced choline acetyltransferase activity at 10 5 M in a cultured neuronal cell system derived from fetal rat hemisphere [309],... 

A detailed description of a TCSPC-FLIM-FRET system is given in [147]. The system is used for FRET between ECPF-EYFP and FMl-43 - FM4-64 in cultured neurones. FRET between ECFP and EYFP in plant cells was demonstrated in [68]. FRET measurements in plant cells are difficult because of the strong autofluorescence of the plant tissue. It is possible to show that two-photon excitation can be used to keep the autofluorescence signal at a tolerable level. 

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