Embryonic mouse spinal cord motor neuron hybrid cells

Neuroreport. 1991 Sep;2(9):505-8. doi: 10.1097/00001756-199109000-00002.

Abstract

Studies of motor neurons are difficult because of limitations in their isolation and culture. One solution is to produce clonal neural hybrid cells that can express motor neuron characteristics; we fused an aminopterin-sensitive and neomycin-resistant mouse neuroblastoma cell line to isolated embryonic mouse spinal cord motor neurons. Several hybrid neuron cell lines expressing high levels of choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) enzyme activity were found. These were cloned and clones with high CHAT activity isolated. The hybrid nature of cloned cells was confirmed by karyotyping and determining glucose phosphate isomerase allozymes. The availability of these embryonic clonal hybrid cells will enable molecular, physiological, and biochemical studies to define motor neuron-specific properties.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aminopterin / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cell Fusion
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / genetics
  • Chromosomes
  • Clone Cells
  • Drug Resistance
  • Gentamicins / pharmacology
  • Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase / analysis
  • Hybrid Cells / cytology*
  • Hybrid Cells / drug effects
  • Hybrid Cells / enzymology
  • Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase / genetics
  • Isoenzymes / analysis
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL / embryology
  • Motor Neurons / cytology*
  • Neuroblastoma / pathology
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Spinal Cord / cytology
  • Spinal Cord / embryology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured / pathology

Substances

  • Gentamicins
  • Isoenzymes
  • antibiotic G 418
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase
  • Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase
  • Glucose-6-Phosphate Isomerase
  • Aminopterin