PROTEIN and RNA SYNTHESES and PRECURSOR UPTAKE WITH ISOLATED NERVE and GLIAL CELLS

Protein and RNA syntheses were investigated with bulk isolated nerve and glial cells from rabbit brain. For polypeptide synthesis, ‘intact’ cells were incubated with ³H]leucine under various conditions and the results were compared with those of polyribosomal polypeptide synthesis. For RNA synthesis ‘intact’ cells were incubated with ³H]uridine or ³H]guanosine and the results were compared with those of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase assay. The bulk isolated ‘intact’ nerve cells were more active in protein synthesis than the ‘intact’ glial cells, while the latter synthesized RNA more actively than the former, although both polyribosomal polypeptide synthesis and DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity were higher with the nerve cells, indicating a higher potential for the nerve cells. The observed discrepancy of RNA synthesis was explained by the significantly less active uptake of nucleosides with the nerve cells. Both protein and RNA syntheses with ‘intact’ cells were sensitive to hypoxic or glucose-deficient conditions. While both the nerve and glial cells were sensitive to hypoxia to a similar extent, the nerve cells were more sensitive to glucose deficiency. It was suggested that the bulk isolated nerve and glial cells still retain certain integral cell functions as viable cells, and can be utilized for various physiological and pharmacological investigations provided caution is exercised in their application and in the interpretation of the results.