ABSTRACT
Both image analysis at light microscopy level and ultrastructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy were employed to evaluate the differentiation stage in young cultured mouse astrocytes after 1-day exposure to dBcAMP, a chemical compound known to induce cell activation. The aim was to validate an experimental model of stimuled astrocytes preserving the properties of recently seeded cells, thus avoiding the overlapping effects of in vitro aging. Differentiated astrocytes, as evidenced by GFAP labeling by streptavidin-perioxidase, doubled their number in treated cultures (45 per cent) versus controls (23 per cent). In addition, a significant increase in processing-bearing astrocytes (elongated forms) to the detriment of immature polygonal astrocytes, was recorded. No noticeable changes were found in cell perimeter, but cell area displayed a significant reduction in labeled surface of astrocytes undergoing morphological differentiation. Concomitantly, electron microscopy showed that radially organized bundles of numerous intermediate filaments compatible with GFAP replaced the few scattered structures observed in control cultures. However methodological caution is advisable as regards the relevance of the in vitro counterpart in situ reactive astrocytes, since cell plasicity is recognized to depend on culture conditions. At any rate, present quantitative results demonstrate that GFAP-positive cell percentage and cell area measurement are adequate parameters of early immunocytochemical and morphological differentiation, respectively, and thus contribute to a better histometric characterization of an easily available substrate to discriminate the wide variety of factors involved in CNS response to injury.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Astrocytes/drug effects , Astrocytes/ultrastructure , Bucladesine/pharmacology , Cell Differentiation/physiology , Astrocytes/metabolism , Bucladesine/metabolism , Cells, Cultured , Culture Media , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Microscopy, ElectronABSTRACT
Se estudio la duración del efecto inhibición que produce la ACTH sobre la incorporación y transformación del ácido [1-14C] eicosatrienoico, en células corticoadrenales aisladas de ratas normales. También se investigó el efecto de la esculetina, indometacina y del ácido nordihidroguaiarético, independientemente o en presencia de ACTH o dibutiril cíclico (diBuAMPc), sobre la biosíntesis de araquidonato. La ACTH y el di BUAMPc produjeron una inhibición significativa en la biosíntese de ácido araquidónico. La depresión producida por la hormona se consideró como un efecto a corto tiempo. El ácido nordihidroguaiarético y la esculetina deprimieron la captación del ácido 20:3 (n=6) en las células corticoadrenales. Este efecto se potenció cuando las células fueron tratadas simultáneamente con ACTH o diBuAMPc. La indometacina no modificó la capacitación del ácido 20:3 (n-6) e incrementó la actividad delta5 desaturante. Este efecto indicaría que, normalmente, los metabolitos producidos por la vía de la negativa sobre la actividad delta5 desaturante producida por la ACTH y el diBuAMPc, y la modulación positiva que se infiere de los resultados obtenidos en el presente trabajo, se puede asumir que existen, por lo menos, dos mecanismos que participan en la formación del ácido 20:4(n-6). Estos mecanismos parecen operar independentemente y probablemente interaccionan produciendo un control bidireccional