Transforming growth factor-β2 selectively alters the developmental expression of the fast transient A-current in cultured rat superior cervical ganglion neurons
✍ Scribed by Kevin D. Phelan; Jason Y. Chang; Cynthia J.M. Kane
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1997
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 304 KB
- Volume
- 49
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0360-4012
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Cultures
of neonatal rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) were utilized to examine the ability of transforming growth factor-b2 (TGFb2) to alter voltagegated K 1 channel development. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to monitor changes in three separate K 1 currents: A rapidly inactivating A-current (I Af ), a slowly inactivating A-current (I As ), and a non-inactivating current (I K ). Continuous TGFb2 (10 ng/ml) treatment selectively altered the normal developmental decrease in I Af expression in SCG neurons, but did not significantly change I As or I K expression. After 2 weeks of treatment, the mean I Af current density in control cultures had decreased 67%, while the I Af current density in TGFb2 treated cultures remained near initial values (,2.7-fold higher than control). This difference remained even after 4 weeks of exposure. TGFb2 did not appear to change the activation kinetics or voltage-dependence of I Af . These findings indicate that TGFb2 may play an important role in modulating the development of neuronal excitability by regulating the expression of voltage-gated K 1 channels.