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Membrane Potential Dye Imaging of Ventromedial Hypothalamus Neurons From Adult Mice to Study Glucose Sensing

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ATP-mediated glucosensing by hypothalamic tanycytes.

Cameron Frayling¹, Ruth Britton, Nicholas Dale

¹School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.

The Journal of Physiology

|April 14, 2011

Summary

Brain tanycytes, cells near feeding-regulating neurons, signal using calcium waves. They release ATP in response to glucose, confirming their role as brain glucosensors.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cell Biology
Metabolism

Background:

The brain regulates food intake, appetite, and body weight through hypothalamic neurons sensitive to circulating signals like glucose.
Hypothalamic tanycytes interact with cerebrospinal fluid and nearby feeding-regulating neurons, but their signaling role is unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the signaling properties of hypothalamic tanycytes.
To determine if tanycytes function as glucosensors and how they respond to feeding-related stimuli.

Main Methods:

Measurement of intracellular calcium (Ca2+) waves in tanycytes.
Stimulation of tanycytes with glucose, ATP, histamine, acetylcholine, and glucose analogues.
Assessment of ATP release from tanycytes.

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Main Results:

Tanycytes exhibit signaling via intracellular Ca2+ waves.
Tanycytes respond strongly to ATP, histamine, and acetylcholine.
Selective glucose stimulation of tanycytes triggers ATP release and Ca2+ responses, demonstrating their function as glucosensors.

Conclusions:

Tanycytes are active signaling cells within the brain.
Tanycytes respond to neuronally derived and circulating transmitters and metabolites.
This study provides the first direct evidence that tanycytes act as glucosensors involved in feeding regulation.