Biomaterial Database

Induction of glutamine synthetase in rat astrocytes by co-cultivation with embryonic chick neurons. 1988

D K Wu, and S Scully, and J de Vellis

Laboratory of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine.

Co-cultivation of confluent rat astrocyte cultures with embryonic chick neurons resulted in induction of glutamine synthetase activity in the astrocytes. This induction of glutamine synthetase in astrocytes by neurons was independent of induction by hydrocortisone and forskolin, but was dependent on the length of co-cultivation and the number of neurons present in the co-culture. Cycloheximide and actinomycin D inhibited the induction of glutamine synthetase in astrocytes by neurons, whereas cytosine arabinoside had no apparent effect. Results suggest that this induction of glutamine synthetase in astrocytes is mediated by cell contact with neurons and may represent a specific neuronal and glial interaction.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009474	Neurons	The basic cellular units of nervous tissue. Each neuron consists of a body, an axon, and dendrites. Their purpose is to receive, conduct, and transmit impulses in the NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Nerve Cells,Cell, Nerve,Cells, Nerve,Nerve Cell,Neuron
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D003584	Cytological Techniques	Methods used to study CELLS.	Cytologic Technics,Cytological Technic,Cytological Technics,Cytological Technique,Technic, Cytological,Technics, Cytological,Technique, Cytological,Techniques, Cytological,Cytologic Technic,Technic, Cytologic,Technics, Cytologic
D004790	Enzyme Induction	An increase in the rate of synthesis of an enzyme due to the presence of an inducer which acts to derepress the gene responsible for enzyme synthesis.	Induction, Enzyme
D005974	Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase	An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ATP, L-glutamate, and NH3 to ADP, orthophosphate, and L-glutamine. It also acts more slowly on 4-methylene-L-glutamate. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 6.3.1.2.	Glutamine Synthetase,Glutamate Ammonia Ligase (ADP),Glutamate Ammonia Ligase,Ligase, Glutamate-Ammonia,Synthetase, Glutamine
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001253	Astrocytes	A class of large neuroglial (macroglial) cells in the central nervous system - the largest and most numerous neuroglial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Astrocytes (from "star" cells) are irregularly shaped with many long processes, including those with "end feet" which form the glial (limiting) membrane and directly and indirectly contribute to the BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER. They regulate the extracellular ionic and chemical environment, and "reactive astrocytes" (along with MICROGLIA) respond to injury.	Astroglia,Astroglia Cells,Astroglial Cells,Astrocyte,Astroglia Cell,Astroglial Cell,Astroglias,Cell, Astroglia,Cell, Astroglial
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus