NEUROTRANSMITTER SYNTHESIS BY SN6 CELL-LINES, A FAMILY OF HYBRID CELL-LINES OF EMBRYONIC SEPTAL ORIGIN

Previously, we reported the presence of multiple neurotransmitters in subclones of SN6, a septal cholinergic hybrid cell line, To obtain inf ormation concerning the functionality of these transmitters, we measur ed transmitter contents, activities of transmitter-producing enzymes, and the effect of serum-free culture medium in two different batches ( SN6.1.6 and SN6.10.2.2) and two subclones of the SN6 cell line (SN6.2a and SN6.1b), Except for SN6.1b, SN6 cell lines and subclones had basi cally the same neurotransmitter characteristics. Among the transmitter s, only acetylcholine seemed to be functional, Monoamine oxidase was m issing and activity of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase was diminishe d in SN6 cell lines, Even in serum-containing medium, SN6.1b had a mor e mature morphology than the other cell lines, and it contained cholin e acetyltransferase and acetylcholine but not tyrosine hydroxylase or catecholamines, Similar characteristics were acquired by the mother ce ll line in response to serum-free conditions, Thus, SN6.1b is the most mature of these central cholinergic neuronal cell lines, at least wit h regard to neurotransmitter profiles. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.