Summary
Explants of rat adrenal medulla were grown in tissue culture. The effects of various doses of dbcAMP ranging from 0.001 mM up to 1 mM and equimolar amounts of theophylline were recorded by phase contrast optics and catecholamine histochemistry (glyoxylic acid method) over six days. There was a dose-dependent inhibition of the normally occurring outgrowth of Schwann cells, “chromaffin” cells and axons from the explants. Maintenance of glyoxylic acid-induced fluorescence in “chromaffin” cells was dose-dependent, too. Since theophylline is known to enhance intracellular levels of cAMP only, these effects are probably due to the action of cAMP. cAMP obviously maintains the degree of differentiation of chromaffin cells. Thus it could be argued that a certain degree of dedifferentiation is a prerequisite for the formation of axons from these cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Chamley, J. H., Camphell, G. R.: Trophic influences of sympathetic nerves and cyclic AMP on differentiation and proliferation of isolated smooth muscle cells in culture. Cell Tiss. Res.161, 497–510 (1975)
Chamley, J. H., Mark, G. E., Campbell, G. R., Burnstock, G.: Sympathetic ganglia in culture. I. Neurons. Z. Zellforsch.135, 287–314 (1972)
Frazier, W. A., Ohlendorf, C. E., Boyd, L. F., Aloe, C., Johnson, E. M., Ferrendelli, J. A., Bradshaw, R. A.: Mechanism of action of nerve growth factor and cyclic AMP on neurite outgrowth in embryonic chick sensory ganglia: demonstration of independent pathways of stimulation. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.)70, 2448–2452 (1973)
Furmanski, P., Silverman, D. J., Lubin, M.: Expression of differentiated functions in mouse neuroblastoma mediated by dibutyryl-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Nature (Lond.)233, 415–514 (1971)
Furness, J. B., Costa, M.: The use of glyoxylic acid for the fluorescence histochemical demonstration of peripheral stores of noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine in whole mounts. Histochemistry41, 335–352 (1975)
Goodman, R., Oesch, F., Thoenen, H.: Changes in enzyme patterns produced by high potassium concentration and dibutyryl cyclic AMP in organ cultures of sympathetic ganglia. J. Neurochem.23, 369–378 (1974)
Guidotti, A., Costa, E.: Involvement of adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate in the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase elicted by drugs. Science179, 902–904 (1973)
Ledbetter, F. H., Kirshner, N.: Studies of chick adrenal medulla in organ culture. Biochem. Pharmacol.24, 967–974 (1975)
Mackay, A. P., Iversen, L. L.: Increased tyrosine hydroxylase activity of sympathetic ganglia cultured in the presence of dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Brain Res.48, 424–426 (1973)
Mueller, R. A., Thoenen, H., Axelrod, J.: Inhibition of neuronally induced tyrosine hydroxylase by nicotinic receptor blockade. Europ. J. Pharmacol.10, 51–56 (1970)
Olson, L., Malmfors, T.: Growth characteristics of adrenergic nerves in the adult rat. Fluorescence histochemical and3H-noradrenaline uptake studies using tissue transplantations to the anterior eye chamber of the eye. Acta physiol. scand. Suppl.348, (1970)
Otten, U., Mueller, R. A., Oesch, F., Thoenen, H.: Location of an isoproterenol-responsive cyclic AMP pool in adrenergic nerve cell bodies and its relationships to tyrosine 3-monoxygenase induction. Proc. nat. Acad. Sci. (Wash.)71, 2217–2221 (1974)
Otten, U., Oesch, F., Thoenen, H.: Dissociation between changes in cyclic AMP and subsequent induction of TH in the rat superior cervical ganglion and adrenal medulla. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol.280, 129–140 (1973)
Patrick, R. L., Kirshner, N.: Effect of stimulation on the levels of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-β-hydroxylase and catecholamines in intact and denervated rat adrenal glands. Molec. Pharmacol.7, 87–96 (1971)
Roisen, F. J., Murphy, R. A., Braden, W. G.: Neurite developmentin vitro. I. The effects of adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP). J. Neurobiol.3, 437–468 (1972)
Roisen, F. J., Murphy, R. A., Pichichero, M. E., Braden, W. G.: Cyclic adenosine monophosphate stimulation of axonal elongation. Science175, 73–74 (1972)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Unsicker, K., Chamley, J.H. Effects of dbcAMP and theophylline on rat adrenal medulla grown in tissue culture. Histochemistry 46, 197–201 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462783
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462783