An integrate-and-fire model for synchronized bursting in a network of cultured cortical neurons.

It has been suggested that spontaneous synchronous neuronal activity is an essential step in the formation of functional networks in the central nervous system. The key features of this type of activity consist of bursts of action potentials with associated spikes of elevated cytoplasmic calcium. These features are also observed in networks of rat cortical neurons that have been formed in culture. Experimental studies of these cultured networks have led to several hypotheses for the mechanisms underlying the observed synchronized oscillations. In this paper, bursting integrate-and-fire type mathematical models for regular spiking (RS) and intrinsic bursting (IB) neurons are introduced and incorporated through a small-world connection scheme into a two-dimensional excitatory network similar to those in the cultured network. This computer model exhibits spontaneous synchronous activity through mechanisms similar to those hypothesized for the cultured experimental networks. Traces of the membrane potential and cytoplasmic calcium from the model closely match those obtained from experiments. We also consider the impact on network behavior of the IB neurons, the geometry and the small world connection scheme.

Mechanism of synchronized Ca2+ oscillations in cortical neurons.

Dissociated rat cortical neurons reassociate in vitro to form synaptically connected networks. Removal of Mg2+ from the extracellular medium then induces neurons in the network to undergo synchronized oscillations of cytoplasmic calcium. Previous studies have shown that these calcium oscillations involve the activation of NMDA receptors and that the rising phase of each calcium spike is coincident with a brief burst of action potentials (Robinson et al., Jpn. J. Physiol. 43 (Suppl. 1) (1993) S125-130; Robinson et al., J. Neurophysiol. 70 (1993) 1606-1616; Murphy et al., J. Neurosci. 12 (1992) 4834-4845). We have found that these calcium oscillations are dependent on an influx of extracellular calcium but are independent of mobilization of calcium from intracellular stores. The influx of extracellular Ca2+ occurs primarily through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), since diltiazem inhibits calcium oscillations under all conditions. On the other hand, N-, P/Q-, and T-type VGCCs are not required for calcium oscillations, although inhibitors of these channels may act as partial antagonists. In addition to removal of Mg2+, oscillations can also be induced by the inhibition of voltage-gated K+ channels with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), a treatment known to increase neurotransmitter release. In the presence of 4-AP, synchronized calcium oscillations become independent of NMDA receptor activation, although they continue to require activation of AMPA/KA receptors. A model for the mechanism of neuronal calcium oscillations and the reason for their synchrony is presented.

Expert learning system network for diagnosis of breast calcifications.

Breast calcification diagnosis was studied by using clinical findings and computerized image processing of a mammogram in a network of trained expert learning systems (Outcome Advisor [OA]). The system was tested with records not used for training and performance was compared with radiologist. The network was 72% accurate in classifying clusters of calcifications as malignant or benign over a set of test cases radiologists had considered "hard-to-diagnose calcifications," and referred for biopsy. The radiologists had decided to conduct biopsy by selecting an equal number of positive and negative cases for the test group; thus the radiologists' performance with respect to categories of benign versus malignant was constrained to be 50/50. Statistical analysis shows only a 2% probability that the observed accuracy of 72% was a chance performance in recognizing whether a cluster is benign or malignant. The feasibility of developing a network of OAs for diagnosing breast cancer integrating digital image processing of mammograms is promising.

The role of transmembrane pH gradients in the lactic acid induced swelling of astrocytes.

The swelling of astrocytes is an important component of the morbidity and mortality associated with ischemic brain trauma. In the ischemic brain, lactic acid levels rise dramatically with a concomitant acidification of the extracellular fluid. In this study we have measured the effects of elevated extracellular lactate and reduced extracellular pH (pHo) on astrocyte volume using the human astrocyte-derived cell line UC-11MG. Neither elevated lactate nor reduced pHo alone increased cell volume, but swelling of about 25% was measured when the cells were exposed simultaneously to 20 mM lactic acid and a reduced pHo of 6. The swelling was correlated with an approximately 4-fold increase in intracellular lactate as pHo was decreased from 8.0 to 6.0. As pHo was decreased intracellular pH also decreased, but much more slowly so that at acidic extracellular pH there was an inwardly directed proton gradient. The measured intracellular lactate concentrations closely followed the theoretical levels predicted by a model in which lactate transport is coupled to the inwardly directed proton gradient. Kinetic studies indicated that lactate transport is saturable with a Km of 3.8 mM, consistent with the model for facilitated cotransport of lactate with a proton or exchange of lactate for a hydroxyl ion. These data suggest that an important mechanism of postischemic astrocytic swelling is a proton driven, active accumulation of lactate to levels that result in a significant osmotic gradient of lactate at acidic pH.

Energy-dependent cell volume maintenance in UC-11MG human astrocytomas.

Swelling of astrocytes in the brain is a major cause of the morbidity and mortality associated with stroke and head trauma. Using a human astrocytoma cell line (UC-11MG) as a model system, we studied cell volume changes caused by ATP depletion under conditions mimicking hypoxia. ATP levels were reduced to less than 10% of control using the metabolic inhibitors KCN or antimycin in combination with glucose deprivation. This was sufficient to eliminate ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake, indicating the Na+-K+-adenosinetriphosphatase was not operating. Furosemide-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake was reduced by approximately 60%, indicating Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransport was also sensitive to ATP loss. ATP depletion resulted in a 30-40% reduction of cell volume within 60 min. ATP depletion also resulted in a net loss of intracellular K+. This loss of K+ could be blocked by Ba2+, indicating the K+ loss was through a conductive channel. When the net K+ loss was blocked by Ba2+, the volume decrease was also prevented. The cells remained viable throughout the time period as judged by exclusion of ethidium bromide by 99% of the cells and recovery of ATP levels to 75% of control within 60 min. We conclude that ATP depletion, following inhibition of glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, causes astrocytes to shrink because of a more rapid loss of K+ than uptake of Na+. Thus it appears that ATP depletion alone is not sufficient to account for the rapid phase of astrocytic swelling observed during cerebral ischemia.

Cell growth and substrate effects on characteristics of a lysosomal enzyme (cathepsin C) in Duchenne muscular dystrophy fibroblasts.

Skin fibroblasts from normal males and males suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy were studied in culture over a 10-week period. The lysosomal enzyme cathepsin C (dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I; EC 3.4.14.1), defined by the chloride-dependent hydrolysis of dipeptide-beta-naphthylamide (dipeptide-beta-NA) substrates at pH 5.1, was significantly lower in Duchenne cell sonicates and cell lysosomal preparations. The apparent difference in activity tended to increase with in vitro cell culture age, with the Duchenne cells being found also to grow faster and yield a greater number of cells at confluence. An analysis of all 10 cell lines as a group indicated that cathepsin C activity was related to growth rate. In addition, while analyses of cell homogenization and fractionation showed that the yield of cathepsin C was not different in Duchenne lysosomal preparations, the enzyme showed significantly lower latent activity in the Duchenne lysosomes with Gly-Phe-NA used as substrate. However, despite significant differences in specific activity compared with normal lysosomal preparations, no latency difference was observed if three other substrates were used (Gly-Arg-, Pro-Arg-, and Pro-Phe-NAs). The expression of this enzyme can thus be differentially influenced by cell growth and its latency characteristics can be influenced by the substrate used in assays.

Chloride-insensitive, glycine-phenylalanine-naphthylamide hydrolysis at neutral pH in human skin fibroblasts.

Crude lysosomal preparations from a cultured human skin fibroblast line were found to contain significant levels of a neutral pH hydrolase activity towards glycine--phenylalanine--beta-naphthylamide (NA), a substrate normally used for the assay of lysosomal dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I. However, the activity was chloride ion insensitive, nonlatent, and inhibitable by cationic detergents and amino acids. Assays of substrate selectivity, relative substrate affinity, pH and anion and cation sensitivity indicated the activity to be distinct from dipeptidyl aminopeptidases I (chloride-dependent hydrolysis of Pro-Phe-, Gly-Phe-, Gly-Arg-, and Pro-Arg-NA's at acid pH), II (Lys-Ala-NA hydrolysis), III (Arg-Arg-NA hydrolysis), and IV (Gly-Pro-NA hydrolysis). The lysosomal preparations also contained significant activity towards several amino acid--naphthylamides, notably Arg-NA. Only dipepidyl aminopeptidase I activity showed sensitivity to chloride anions, both dipeptidyl aminopeptidases I and II showed substantial latency, and none of the activities displayed a significant metal cation dependent.

Characterization of the cilia and ciliary membrane proteins of wild-type Paramecium tetraurelia and a pawn mutant.

Cilia and ciliary membranes were isolated from axenically grown, wild-type Paramecium tetraurelia strain 51s and from the extreme pawn mutant strain, d495, derived from this parental strain. Over 60 protein bands having molecular weights of 15 to greater than 300 kdaltons were detected by Coomassie Blue staining of whole cilia proteins separated by one-dimensional SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. About 30 of these protein bands were visible in Coomassie Blue-stained membrane separations. About 60 bands were detected by silver staining of one-dimensional gels of membrane proteins. Differences between Coomassie Blue-stained separations of wild-type and pawn mutant strain d495 membrane proteins were seen in the quantity of a band present at 43 kdaltons. Radioiodination of cell surface proteins labeled approximately 15 protein bands in both wild-type and mutant cilia. The major axonemal proteins were unlabeled. Six membrane glycoproteins were identified by staining one-dimensional separations with iodinated concanavalin A and lentil lectin, two lectins that specifically bind both glucose and mannose residues. Two major neutral sugar species present in an acid hydrolysate of the cilia preparation were tentatively identified as glucose and mannose by gas chromatography of the alditol acetate derivatives.

Genetic polymorphism in normal human fibroblasts as analyzed by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Two dimensional gel electrophoresis has been used to measure the degree of genetic polymorphism among the proteins of normal human fibroblasts. Autoradiographic analysis of the gel protein profiles from radioactively labeled cells allowed comparison of as many as 300 discrete polypeptides at a time. In addition, a newly developed technique for double label autoradiography was used to increase the sensitivity of the system for detection of small differences in the protein profiles of different cell lines. Only about 1.2% of the proteins of different cell lines were found to differ in their electrophoretic mobility. This corresponds to an average heterozygosity of approximately 0.6%. Previous studies of genetic polymorphism using different methods of one-dimensional electrophoretic analysis have estimated the average heterozygosity of the human population at about 6.7%. Detailed mathematical analysis shows the variation of the observed from the expected number of differences to be statistically highly significant. While the reasons for this difference are not clear, the observation of low levels of genetic polymorphism on two-dimensional gels should enhance the usefulness of this technique for detection of altered proteins in inherited disease.