SECRETORY FUNCTION OF ADRENAL CHROMAFFIN CELLS CULTURED ON POLYPYRROLE FILMS

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a conducting polymer and is obtained electrochemi cally on an electrode such as indium-tin oxide (ITO). In this study, i n order to develop a novel cell-culture system which makes it possible to communicate with cultured mammalian cells, bovine adrenal chromaff in cells were cultured on PPy-coated ITO plates for 7 days and the inf luence of PPy-coating on the cell functions was investigated. Since th e chromaffin cells synthesize and secrete catecholamines such as adren aline and noradrenaline, the amount of synthesized and released catech olamines from the chromaffin cells cultured on PPy-coating and ITO its elf were measured. The cells on the PPy-coated ITO pl ate could be kep t in culture, without any significant changes in morphology and in the secretory responsiveness to acetylcholine as compared with those of t he cells cultured on collagen. On the contrary, the cells on the ITO p late lost the responsiveness, while the amount of catecholamines synth esized was affected little by both PPy and ITO surfaces. It is suggest ed that PPy supports the secretory function of the chromaffin cells wh en they are cultured on it. This paper describes that PPy films are ap plicable as a polymer-modified electrode which support the cell functi on without collagen. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited.