Department of Biological Sciences, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA.
This is the first report of multielectrode
recordings from networks of cultured motor neurons. Neurons isolated
from the ventral horns of spinal cords of E15 rats were cultured on
MED64 probes. The majority of the neurons in the cultures are positive
for neurofilament, choline acetyltransferase, and Hb9, characteristics
of motor neurons. The activity of the motor neuron network is
characterized by spiking of individual cells as well as spontaneous,
synchronized bursts involving all active electrodes. Both spiking and
network bursts are stimulated by GABA antagonists and acetylcholine, and
are inhibited by GABA itself and glutamate antagonists. Networks of
cultured embryonic motor neurons make a good model system for studying
motor neuron development and physiology as well as the pathophysiology
of motor neuron disease.