Up-regulation of the transient A-type K^＋ current （IA） in the differentiation of neural stem cells of the early postnatal rat hippocampus  

作　　者：GUO Hong-bo HUANG Lian-yan ZOU Yu-xi ZOU Fei 

机构地区：[1]Department of Neurosurgery, Guangdong Neurosurgery Institute and Key Laboratory on Brain Repair and Regeneration, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, China [2]School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, China

出　　处：《Chinese Medical Journal》2010年第13期1731-1735,共5页中华医学杂志（英文版）

基　　金：This work was supported in part by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China （No. 30971183）, Guangdong Natural Science Foundation （No. 7005213）, and Science and Technology Projects in Guangdong Province （No. 2009B030801230）.

摘　　要：Background Neural stem cells （NSCs） not only are essential to cell replacement therapy and transplantation in clinical settings, but also provide a unique model for the research into neurogenesis and epigenesis. However, little attention has been paid to the electrophysiological characterization of NSC development. This work aimed to identify whether the morphological neuronal differentiation process in NSCs included changes in the electrophysiological properties of transient A-type K^＋ currents （IA）. Methods NSCs were isolated from early postnatal rat hippocampus and were multiplied in basic serum-free medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor. Potassium currents were investigated and compared using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques and one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA）, respectively. Results Compared with NSC-derived neurons, cloned NSCs （cNSCs） had a more positive resting membrane potential, a higher input resistance, and a lower membrane capacitance. Part of cNSCs and NSC-derived neurons possessed both delayed-rectifier K^＋ currents （IDR） and IA, steady-state activation of IA in cNSCs （half-maximal activation at （21.34=L-4.37） mV） occurred at a more positive voltage than in NSC-derived neurons at 1-6 days in vitro （half-maximal activation at （12.85=L-4.19） mV）. Conclusions Our research revealed a developmental up-regulation of the IA component during differentiation of postnatal NSCs. Together with the marked developmental up-regulation of IDR in vitro neuronal differentiation we have previously found, the voltage-gated potassium channels may participate in neuronal maturation process.Background Neural stem cells （NSCs） not only are essential to cell replacement therapy and transplantation in clinical settings, but also provide a unique model for the research into neurogenesis and epigenesis. However, little attention has been paid to the electrophysiological characterization of NSC development. This work aimed to identify whether the morphological neuronal differentiation process in NSCs included changes in the electrophysiological properties of transient A-type K^＋ currents （IA）. Methods NSCs were isolated from early postnatal rat hippocampus and were multiplied in basic serum-free medium containing basic fibroblast growth factor. Potassium currents were investigated and compared using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques and one-way analysis of variance （ANOVA）, respectively. Results Compared with NSC-derived neurons, cloned NSCs （cNSCs） had a more positive resting membrane potential, a higher input resistance, and a lower membrane capacitance. Part of cNSCs and NSC-derived neurons possessed both delayed-rectifier K^＋ currents （IDR） and IA, steady-state activation of IA in cNSCs （half-maximal activation at （21.34=L-4.37） mV） occurred at a more positive voltage than in NSC-derived neurons at 1-6 days in vitro （half-maximal activation at （12.85=L-4.19） mV）. Conclusions Our research revealed a developmental up-regulation of the IA component during differentiation of postnatal NSCs. Together with the marked developmental up-regulation of IDR in vitro neuronal differentiation we have previously found, the voltage-gated potassium channels may participate in neuronal maturation process.

关 键 词：stem cells transient A-type K^＋ currents cell differentiation HIPPOCAMPUS patch-clamp techniques 

分 类 号：Q463[生物学—生理学] Q421