Abstract
Glial cells in the central nervous systems (CNS) have complex functions which are difficult to decipher because of the intimate intertwining of glial cells with neurons. We have therefore developed an essentially neuron-free preparation of CNS astrocytes in the kainic acid lesioned hippocampal slice. With this preparation we have examined the effect of activating protein kinase C in astrocytes with a phorbol ester, TPA (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate). In most cells, TPA induced rhythmic oscillations (0.1–3.0 Hz) of membrane potential which were typically 5–10 mV in amplitude and were associated with increases of up to eightfold in input resistance during the depolarizing phase. These large changes in membrane conductance are the first reported observations of endogenously generated conductance changes in astrocytes of the mammalian CNS and they could influence excitability of surrounding neurons, possibly by altering extracellular ion concentrations.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
MacVicar, B. A. Science 226, 1345–1347 (1984).
Bevan, S., Chiu, S. Y., Gray, P. T. A. & Ritchie, J. M. Proc. R. Soc. B225, 299–313 (1985).
Bevan, S. & Raff, M. Nature 315, 229–232 (1985).
Gray, P. T. A. & Ritchie, J. M. Proc. R. Soc. B228, 267–288 (1986).
Quandt, F. N. & MacVicar, B. A. Neuroscience 19, 29–41 (1986).
Ashwood, T. J., Lancaster, B. & Wheal, H. V. Expl Brain Res. 62, 189–198 (1986).
Gutnick, M. J., Connors, B. W. & Ransom, B. R. Brain Res. 213, 486–492 (1981).
Nishizuka, Y. Nature 308, 693–698 (1984).
Kaczmarek, L. K. J. exp. Biol. 124, 375–392 (1986).
Romey, G., Hugues, M., Schmid-Antomarchi, H. & Lazdunski, M. J. Physiol., Paris 79, 259–264 (1984).
Cuthbertson, K. S. R. & Cobbold, P. H. Nature 316, 541–542 (1985).
Henkart, M. P. & Nelson, P. G. J. gen. Physiol. 73, 655–673 (1979).
Kuba, K. J. Physiol. 298, 251–269 (1980).
Mobley, P. L., Scott, S. L. & Cruz, E. G. Brain Res. 398, 366–369 (1986).
Murphy, S., Pearce, B. & Morrow, C. Brain Res. 364, 177–180 (1986).
Pearce, B., Cambray-Deakin, M., Morrow, C., Grimble, J. & Murphy, S. J. Neurochem. 45, 1534–1540 (1985).
Torrens, Y. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 9216–9220 (1986).
Fisher, S. K. & Agranoff, B. W. J. Neurochem. 48, 999–1017 (1987).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MacVicar, B., Crichton, S., Burnard, D. et al. Membrane conductance oscillations in astrocytes induced by phorbol ester. Nature 329, 242–243 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329242a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/329242a0
This article is cited by
-
Forskolin and phorbol esters decrease the same K+ conductance in cultured oligodendrocytes
The Journal of Membrane Biology (1988)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
