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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

Neuromodulation and Mitochondrial Transport: Live Imaging in Hippocampal Neurons over Long Durations
Published on: June 17, 2011
Serotonin as a stimulator of hippocampal cell differentiation in tissue culture
H A Gromova1, A R Chubakov1, E I Chumasov2
1Laboratory of Brain Neurotransmitter Systems, Institute of Biophysics of the USSR Academy of Sciences, PushchinoUSSR.
Abstract:
The effects of serotonin (5-HT) on morphofunctional development of hippocampal cultures derived from newborn rats were studied. It was established that systematic addition of 5-HT to nutrient medium during cultivation stimulates neuropil development, axon myelination and synaptogenesis. Electrophysiological studies of hippocampal cells in 5-HT treated cultures showed earlier exhibition of spontaneous activity and an increased number of spontaneously firing neurons and prevalence of periodic (bursting) type of discharges. These results indicate that 5-HT stimulates the differentiation of hippocampal cells in tissue culture.

