Abstract
The effects of neurotrophins on intracellular Ca2+ levels in rat hippocampal neurones were studied in vitro using fura-2 fluorescence microscopy. BDNF and NT-3, but not NGF, rapidly increased cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentrations in these neurones ten-fold to reach 1 microM. Moreover in some of the neurones both BDNF and NT-3 elicited Ca2+ responses, indicative of the presence of functional receptors for these neurotrophins in the same cell. In these cultures approximately 80% of the hippocampal neurones were stained with antibodies against full-length TrkB. The expression of functional TrkB was also confirmed by RNA analysis. These results demonstrate the presence of functional receptors for BDNF and NT-3 in hippocampal neurones.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
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Calcium / metabolism*
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Cells, Cultured
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Female
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Hippocampus / cytology
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Hippocampus / drug effects
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Hippocampus / metabolism*
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Immunohistochemistry
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Microscopy, Fluorescence
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Nerve Growth Factors / pharmacology*
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Nerve Tissue Proteins / pharmacology*
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Neuronal Plasticity / drug effects
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Neurons / metabolism*
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Neurotrophin 3
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Pregnancy
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RNA / metabolism
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Rats
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
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Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / drug effects
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Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / metabolism
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Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
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Nerve Growth Factors
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Nerve Tissue Proteins
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Neurotrophin 3
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Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor
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Recombinant Proteins
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RNA
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
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Calcium