On the Road from Phenotypic Plasticity to Stem Cell Therapy.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Dale's Principle posited that individual neurons synthesize and release only one type of neurotransmitter.
• This principle was challenged by studies on neural crest cell transplantation, suggesting potential transmitter plasticity.
• Research in the Bunge laboratory aimed to directly investigate neurotransmitter expression in cultured neurons.

Observation:

• Autonomic catecholaminergic neurons were cultured under conditions designed to induce cholinergic traits.
• The study observed whether these neurons would switch or co-express neurotransmitters.

Findings:

• Neurons did not abandon their primary catecholaminergic phenotype.
• Cultured neurons demonstrated the capacity for dual transmitter expression, co-expressing both catecholaminergic and cholinergic traits.
• This provided direct evidence against a strict interpretation of Dale's Principle regarding single neurotransmitter expression.

Implications:

• The findings revealed significant neuronal phenotypic plasticity.
• This research influenced the author's subsequent 40-year scientific trajectory.
• The study's insights contribute to the understanding of neuronal development and hold potential relevance for stem cell therapy strategies.