Characterization of cocaine and antidepressant-sensitive norepinephrine transporters in rat placental trophoblasts.

ABSTRACT: 1. This paper reports on a primary cell culture system that predominantly expresses native norepinephrine (NE) transporters (NETs), and is amenable to biophysical as well as biochemical analyses. 2. Previous research has identified human and rat placentas as rich sources of NET. We have exploited this to develop primary cultures of rat placental trophoblasts. NE uptake in these cultures is about 10 times higher when compared to 5HT uptake. The presence of NET protein is revealed by immunoblot analysis, while there is no detectable SERT protein. 3. NE transport in rat trophoblasts is sensitive to NET-specific antagonists, desipramine (DS) and nisoxetine (NX), but not to the dopamine-transporter (DAT) specific antagonist, GBR12909 or to the serotonin (5HT) transporter (SERT) specific antagon

SUBMITTER: Jayanthi LD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1573321 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature