F. Monnettschudi et al., EFFECTS OF TRIMETHYLTIN (TMT) ON GLIAL AND NEURONAL CELLS IN AGGREGATE CULTURES - DEPENDENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE, Neurotoxicology, 16(1), 1995, pp. 97-104
Long term effects of trimethyltin (TMT) applied at concentrations belo
w the cytotoxic level were examined in three-dimensional cell cultures
of fetal rat telencephalon using biochemical, immunochemical and morp
hological criteria. It was found that in immature cultures low concent
rations of TMT (10(-8) M) specifically induced a gliotic response in a
strocytes, with increased immunoreactivity for glial fibrillary acidic
protein, and a greater number of astrocytic processes. Significant ch
anges in oligodendrocytic and neuronal parameters were found only at 1
0(-6) M of TMT. In differentiated cultures, distinct changes in cell t
ype-specific parameters occurred at 10(-6) M of TMT (the lowest effect
ive concentration). In addition, different patterns of responses were
found for astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, as compared to immature cul
tures. These results suggest that among neural cells, astroblasts are
most sensitive to TMT, and that the glial responses to this neurotoxic
ant are development-dependent. (C) 1995 Intox Press, Inc.