Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

A CNS catecholaminergic cell line expresses voltage-gated currents

M Lazaroff1, K Dunlap, D M Chikaraishi

  • 1Neuroscience Program, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.

The Journal of Membrane Biology
|June 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

CATH.a cells, a central nervous system catecholaminergic cell line, exhibit neuronal excitability through voltage-gated sodium and calcium currents. These findings confirm their neuronal origin and potential for studying CNS catecholaminergic neurons.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, acceptability and potential stigma among medical and non-medical clinic staff in methadone treatment settings in northern New Jersey: The key role of non-medical staff in enhancing HIV prevention.

Journal of substance abuse treatment·2021
Same author

Psychoanalysis and the unconscious.

The American journal of psychiatry·2010
Same author

Altered functional expression of Purkinje cell calcium channels precedes motor dysfunction in tottering mice.

Neuroscience·2007
Same author

A tyrosine hydroxylase-yellow fluorescent protein knock-in reporter system labeling dopaminergic neurons reveals potential regulatory role for the first intron of the rodent tyrosine hydroxylase gene.

Neuroscience·2006
Same author

Local immune responsiveness following intravaginal challenge with Candida antigen in adult women at different stages of the menstrual cycle.

Medical mycology·2003
Same author

Growth inhibition of Candida albicans by human vaginal epithelial cells.

The Journal of infectious diseases·2002

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • CATH.a cells are a derived central nervous system (CNS) catecholaminergic cell line.
  • They express differentiated neuronal markers like neurofilament proteins, synaptophysin, tyrosine hydroxylase, and dopamine beta-hydroxylase.
  • These cells synthesize dopamine and norepinephrine, and lack glial markers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To definitively establish the neuronal origin of CATH.a cells.
  • To characterize the voltage-gated inward currents essential for neuronal excitability in CATH.a cells.

Main Methods:

  • Electrophysiological characterization of voltage-gated ion currents.
  • Pharmacological analysis using specific ion channel antagonists.
  • Subcloning to assess variability in current expression.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • All CATH.a cells exhibited tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium currents.
  • 68% of cells displayed high voltage-activated calcium currents, with varying L- and N-type contributions.
  • A novel calcium current, resistant to L-, N-, and P-type antagonists, was identified in a subset of cells.

Conclusions:

  • CATH.a cells possess excitable membrane properties characteristic of neurons.
  • The heterogeneous expression of ion currents persists across subclones, indicating complex regulatory factors.
  • CATH.a cells represent a valuable resource for research on CNS catecholaminergic neurons due to their continuous availability and differentiated properties.