Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 2, 879-888, Copyright © 1982 by Society for Neuroscience
Synthesis an accumulation of putative neurotransmitters by cultured neural crest cells
GD Maxwell, PD Sietz and CE Rafford
The events mediating the differentiation of embryonic neural crest cells
into several types of neurons are incompletely understood. In order to
probe one aspect of this differentiation, we have examined the capacity of
cultured quail trunk neural crest cells to synthesize, from radioactive
precursors, and store several putative neurotransmitter compounds. These
neural crest cultures develop the capacity to synthesize and accumulate
acetylcholine and the catecholamines norepinephrine and dopamine. In
contrast, detectable but relatively little synthesis and accumulation of
5-hydroxytryptamine gamma- aminobutyric acid, or octopamine from the
appropriate radiolabeled precursors were observed. The capacity for
synthesis and accumulation of radiolabeled acetylcholine and catecholamines
is very low or absent at 2 days in vitro. Between 3 and 7 days in vitro,
there is a marked rise in both catecholamine and acetylcholine accumulation
in the cultures. These findings suggest that, under the particular
conditions used in these experiments, the development of neurotransmitter
biosynthesis in trunk neural crest cells ijs restricted and resembles, at
least partially, the pattern observed in vivo. The development of this
capacity to synthesize and store radiolabeled acetylcholine and
catecholamines from the appropriate radioactive precursors coincides
closely with the development of the activities of the synthetic enzymes
choline acetyltransferase and dopamine beta-hydroxylase reported by others.