Hyperammonaemia has deleterious effects on the CNS in patients with liver dysfunction. Cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of hyperammonaemia are largely unknown, although astrocytes have been the main target of interest. This study investigated how treatment with NH4Cl and lactate, which increase in the brain as a consequence of hyperammonaemia, affects cells in primary rat cultures enriched in either astrocytes or microglia. Morphological changes were studied over time using light microscopy. Release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1beta was measured using ELISA. NH4Cl was found to induce vacuole formation in both culture systems. Lactate treatment altered astrocytic appearance, resulting in increased space between individual cells. Microglia adopted a round morphology with either NH4Cl or lactate treatment. Lactate, but not NH4Cl, induced release of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in both astroglial- and microglial-enriched cultures, while IL-1beta was released only in microglial cultures. Cytokine release was higher in the microglial- than in the astroglial-enriched cultures. Additionally, the astroglial-enriched cultures containing approximately 10% microglial cells released more cytokines than cultures containing about 5% microglial cells. Taken together, our data suggest that most TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta release comes from microglia. Thus, microglia could play an important role in the pathological process of hyperammonaemia.