Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Fuel your research with LabChart
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


Am J Physiol Cell Physiol (October 3, 2007). doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00113.2007
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
293/6/C1875    most recent
00113.2007v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hoard, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Wondergem, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hoard, J. L.
Right arrow Articles by Wondergem, R.
Submitted on March 22, 2007
Accepted on October 1, 2007

Phenotypic properties of adult mouse intrinsic cardiac neurons maintained in culture

Jennifer L. Hoard1, Donald B. Hoover2, and Robert Wondergem3*

1 Pharmacology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, United States
2 Dept. of Pharmacology, East Tennessee State University, James H. Quillen College of Medicine, Johnson City, Tennessee, United States
3 Department of Physiology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, United States

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: wonderge{at}etsu.edu.

Intrinsic cardiac neurons are core elements of a complex neural network that serves as an important integrative center for regulation of cardiac function. While mouse models are used frequently in cardiovascular research, very little is known about mouse intrinsic cardiac neurons. Accordingly, we have dissociated neurons from adult mouse heart, maintained these cells in culture, and defined their basic phenotypic properties. Neurons in culture were primarily unipolar, and 89% had prominent neurite outgrowth after 3 days (longest neurite length of 258 ± 20 µm, n=140). Many neurites formed close appositions with other neurons and non-neuronal cells. Neurite outgrowth was drastically reduced when neurons were kept in culture with a majority of non-neural cells eliminated. This finding suggests that non-neuronal cells release molecules that support neurite outgrowth. All neurons in coculture showed immunoreactivity for a full complement of cholinergic markers but about 21% also stained for tyrosine hydroxylase, as observed previously in sections of intrinsic cardiac ganglia from mice and humans. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings demonstrated that these neurons have voltage-activated sodium current that is blocked by tetrodotoxin, and that neurons exhibit phasic or accommodating patterns of action potential firing during a depolarizing current pulse. Several neurons exhibited a fast inward current mediated by nicotinic ACh receptors. Collectively, this work shows that neurons from adult mouse heart can be maintained in culture and exhibit appropriate phenotypic properties. Accordingly, these cultures provide a viable model for evaluating the physiology, pharmacology, and trophic factor sensitivity of adult mouse cardiac parasympathetic neurons.







HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Visit Other APS Journals Online
Copyright © 1977 by the American Physiological Society.