Activity-dependent neuron-glial signaling by ATP and leukemia-inhibitory factor promotes hippocampal glial cell development.

ABSTRACT: Activity-dependent signaling between neurons and astrocytes contributes to experience-dependent plasticity and development of the nervous system. However, mechanisms responsible for neuron-glial interactions and the releasable factors that underlie these processes are not well understood. The pro-inflammatory cytokine, leukemia-inhibitory factor (LIF), is transiently expressed postnatally by glial cells in the hippocampus and rapidly up-regulated by enhanced neural activity following seizures. To test the hypothesis that spontaneous neural activity regulates glial development in hippocampus via LIF signaling, we blocked spontaneous activity with the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) in mixed hippocampal cell cultures in combination with blockers of LIF and purinergic signaling. TTX

SUBMITTER: Cohen JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2756042 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature