5-ht2a Receptors in rat Sciatic Nerves and Schwann Cell Cultures

Author: Gaietta Guido M.   Yoder Elizabeth J.   Deerinck Tom   Kinder Karen   Hanono Abraham   Han Areum   Wu Chun   Ellisman Mark H.  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 0300-4864

Source: Journal of Neurocytology, Vol.32, Iss.4, 2003-05, pp. : 373-380

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Abstract

Pharmacological approaches and optical recordings have shown that Schwann cells of a myelinating phenotype are activated by 5-HT upon its interaction with the 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR). In order to further characterize the expression and distribution of this receptor in Schwann cells, we examined rat sciatic nerve and cultured rat Schwann cells using probes specific to 5-HT2AR protein mRNA. We also examined the endogenous sources of 5-HT in rat sciatic nerve by employing both histochemical stains and an antibody that specifically recognizes 5-HT. Rat Schwann cells of a myelinating phenotype contained both 5-HT2AR protein and mRNA. In the healthy adult rat sciatic nerve, 5-HT2ARs were evenly distributed along the outermost portion of the Schwann cell plasma membrane and within the cytoplasm. The most prominent source of 5-HT was within granules of the endoneurial mast cells, closely juxtaposed to Schwann cells within myelinating sciatic nerves. These results support the hypothesis that the 5-HT receptors expressed by rat Schwann cells in vivo are activated by the release of 5-HT from neighboring mast cells.

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