Growth-associated protein-43 expression in cocultures of dorsal root ganglion neurons and skeletal muscle cells with different neurotrophins.

Introduction: Both target skeletal muscle (SKM) cells and neurotrophins (NTs) are essential for the maintenance of neuronal function and nerve-muscle communication. The effects of different NTs and SKM cells on growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) expression in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons have not been clarified.

Methods: The morphological relationship between DRG neurons and SKM cells in neuromuscular cocultures was observed by scanning electron microscopy.

Expression of mRNAs for PPT, CGRP, NF-200, and MAP-2 in cocultures of dissociated DRG neurons and skeletal muscle cells in administration of NGF or NT-3.

Both neurotrophins (NTs) and target skeletal muscle (SKM) cells are essential for the maintenance of the function of neurons and nerve-muscle communication. However, much less is known about the association of target SKM cells with distinct NTs on the expression of mRNAs for preprotachykinin (PPT), calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP), neurofilament 200 (NF-200), and microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP-2) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons. In the present study, a neuromuscular coculture model of dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and SKM cells was established.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 regulates neurite outgrowth and neuronal migration from organotypic cultured dorsal root ganglion.

ABSTRACT Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a neurotrophic factor and plays an important role in promoting axonal growth from neurons. Whether IGF-1 could promote neurite outgrowth and neuronal migration of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explants in vitro remains unknown. In the present study, organotypic rat DRG explant culture model was established.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 modulates Ca2+ homeostasis and apoptosis of cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons with excitotoxicity induced by glutamate.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a neurotrophic factor and a potent anti-apoptotic factor. IGF-1 plays an important role in promoting axonal growth from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and prevents apoptosis in DRG neurons. Whether IGF-1 could modulate Ca2+ homeostasis and apoptosis of sensory DRG neurons with excitotoxicity induced by glutamate (Glu) is still unknown.

Pioglitazone inhibits hypertrophy induced by high glucose and insulin in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether the antidiabetic agent pioglitazone has a direct inhibiting effect on myocardial hypertrophy induced by high glucose and insulin in primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Culture preparations of ventricular muscle cells newborn rats were utilized. At 72 h of culture age, the cardiomyocytes were incubated for another 48 h with 25.