[Inward rectifier potassium current in the frog embryonic skeletal myocytes]. / Kalievyi tok vkhodiashchego vypriamleniia v émbrional'nykh skeletnykh miotsitakh liagushki.

Pharmacological and kinetic properties of the inward rectifier potassium current Iir the frog embryonic skeletal myocytes were found to be identical to those of adult frog skeletal muscle fibres. The data obtained suggest that the Iir plays the main role in maintaining the myocytes resting membrane potential (RMP) when chloride conductance is insignificant. Changes of the integral conductance Gir and the RMP values correlated with the T-system development. The inward rectifier K+ channels, from the early stages of the muscle seem to be located in the T-tubule membranes.

[Structural differentiation of dissociated skeletal embryonal myocytes of frog under conditions of cell culture]. / Strukturnaia differentsirovka dissotsiirovannykh skeletnykh émbrional'nykh miotsitov liagushki v usloviiakh kletochnoi kultury.

The development of membrane structures, providing E-C coupling, and the contractile apparatus organization were investigated in frog skeletal myocytes cultured for 1 to 10 days in conditions preventing both myocyte division and fusion. Ruthenium red was used to determine the membranous structures being in contact with the extracellular environment. The marked membrane structures (vesicles and short tubules) appeared to be near the cell membrane on the first days of culturing. The increase in the ratio of the surface area of all internal membranous structures, marked by Ruthenium red, to the external membrane area with aging was proven by morphometric calculations, that means a progressive development. Contractile filaments were found near the cell membrane on the first days of development. Bundles of filaments with initial signs of sarcomere organization were observed on the 3rd-4th days, and myofibrils with highly organized sarcomeres occupied the main part of the sarcoplasm on the 6th day of culturing. The triads appeared also on the sixth day, being regularly inserted into the sarcomere structure. Degenerative signs in the myocytes (sarcomere disorganization and T-tubule swelling) were observed on the 8-10th days, but the area occupied by contractile elements was increased. These results show that the myocyte fusion into myotubules is not a necessary condition for either sarcomere formation, or the formation of all membranous structures providing the E-C coupling.

Effect of veratridine on the release of neurotrophic factors in nerve tissue cultures.

The depolarizing agent veratridine was shown to affect the level of neurotrophic substances in combined cultures of neonatal rat hippocampus and chick embryo spinal ganglia. In this experimental model, the level of neurotrophic factors in rat hippocampus explants increased as a result of increases in neuronal activity mediated by veratridine. The effects of these neurotrophins on neurite growth in the sensitive spinal ganglion neurons in the combined cultures were evaluated using morphometric methods. Neurite-stimulating effects were seen when veratridine was added to the nutritive medium at a concentration of 90 nM. Antibody to nerve growth factor blocked the action of veratridine. These results demonstrate a role for neuron activity as a regulatory mechanism controlling the expression of neurotrophins.

[The formation of electrical excitability in cultured frog embryonic myocytes]. / Formirovanie élektrovozbudimosti v kul'tiviruemykh émbrional'nykh miotsitakh liagushki.

Quantitative changes of sodium and potassium ionic currents were studied in the frog embryonic skeletal myocytes cultures under conditions preventing cell fusion and division. During 7 days of culturing the mean values of the sodium and potassium currents densities were 7- and 1.8-fold increased, resp. In currents clamp records the APs were observed only after 5 days of culturing, and in cells with proportion of sodium and potassium conductances above the critical level.

Epileptiform activity increases the level of nerve growth factor in cerebrospinal fluid of epileptic patients and in hippocampal neurons in tissue culture.

A neurite-stimulating effect was induced by both the cerebrospinal fluid of epileptic patients and the media of co-cultures of rat hippocampus and chick embryo sensory neurons after veratridine treatment. Cerebrospinal fluid from patients with epilepsy stimulated extensive neurite growth in the organotypic culture of chick embryo dorsal root ganglia. The anti-nerve growth factor antibody partly blocked the neurite-stimulating effect of the cerebrospinal fluid. Co-cultures of newborn rat hippocampus and chick embryo dorsal root ganglia were used to investigate the involvement of neurotrophic factors into the processes which are activated by neuronal activity. The data obtained suggest that veratridine, an epileptiform agent, gave rise to an elevation in the level of neurotrophic factors in the culture media and neurite outgrowth of dorsal root ganglia sensory neurons. The anti-nerve growth factor antibody was shown to block the neurite-stimulating effect mediated by veratridine. These results indicate that the epileptiform activity of neurons evokes the expression of neurotrophins.

[The effect of veratridine on the release of neurotrophic factors in a nerve tissue culture]. / Vliianie veratridina na vydelenie neirotroficheskikh faktorov v kul'ture nervnoi tkani.

A depolarising agent veratridine was shown to affect the level of neurotrophic substances in a combined culture of the newborn rats hippocampus and chick embryo spinal ganglia: the growth of sprouts of the ganglia's sensitive neurons was enhanced. The effect seems to be mediated by the veratridine effect on the hippocampal neurons. The role of an increased level of neurotrophic factors in an increase of neuronal activity, is discussed.