Rcl. Martins et al., Patterns of synthesis and secretion of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in primary cortical and cerebellar astrocytes in vitro, BIO CELL, 92(6), 2000, pp. 421-427
We determined the amounts of [S-35]-glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) found on the
intracellular, pericellular and extracellular compartments of primary cultu
res of astrocytes derived from newborn rat cortex and cerebellum in vitro.
Our results show that the greatest portion of newly synthesized GAGs were f
ound in different cellular compartments depending on the source of the astr
ocytes. In the cells derived from the cerebellum, the proportion of [S-35]-
GAGs secreted to the culture medium preponderates over the amount found in
the two other compartments, whereas cells derived from the cortex accumulat
ed higher proportions of [S-35]-GAGs in the intracellular compartment than
in the two other compartments. Cortical and cerebellar glial cells synthesi
sed and secreted heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin 4-sulfate (C-4S). HS
was predominantly accumulated on the pericellular surface, while C-4S was m
ostly secreted to the culture medium. Beside the difference on the distribu
tion of total [S-35]-GAGs among the three cellular compartments, no differe
nce was observed on the relative proportions of HS and C-4S within each com
partment. By defining the source of GAGs, the present study may help to com
plement and extend information on biosynthesis of these compounds by mammal
ian glial cells. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.