PC12 cell line

This cell line was first cultured by Greene and Arthur S. Tischler in 1976. These qualities provide advantage even though they have smaller vesicles and quantal size, holding only an average of 1.9×10−19 moles of neurotransmitter released. ==Differentiation==

Their embryological origin with neuroblastic cells means they can easily differentiate into neuron-like cells even though they are not considered adult neurons. Neuron-like means they share properties similar to neurons, in this case it is referring to releasing neurotransmitter by vesicles. PC12 cells stop dividing and terminally differentiate when treated with nerve growth factor or dexamethasone. This makes PC12 cells useful as a model system for neuronal differentiation and neurosecretion. Nerve Growth Factor Treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor creates cells with long processes known as neurite varicosities, which contain small amounts of vesicles. PC12 cells treated for 10–14 days with nerve growth factor had no release of vesicles from the cell body which indicates the aggregation of vesicles in the ends of the neurites. Dexamethasone Treatment of PC12 cells with dexamethasone differentiates them into chromaffin-like cells. Using patch clamp recording and amperometry, there was a significant increase in quantal size, excitability and coupling between calcium channels and vesicle release sites, increasing from ~2×10−19 to ~6.5×10−19 moles. ==Drugs effects on vesicles==

Research has shown differences in vesicle size and quantal size depending on treatment with certain drugs. • L-DOPA has shown increase in average quantal size when treated for only 40–90 minutes. == Drugs effects on dopamine metabolism ==

PC12 cells have been researched to evaluate the potential for pharmaceutical alternation of dopamine metabolites such as DOPAL, an autotoxin implicated in the pathology of Parkinson's disease. • MAO-B inhibitors rasagiline and selegiline decreased DOPAL formation. • Most reversible MAO-A inhibitors failed to decrease DOPAL formation, however the irreversible MAO-A inhibitor clorgyline decreased DOPAL production. ==Research==

The PC12 cell line has been used to get more information about diseases of the brain. It has been used in research of hypoxia, where acute hypoxia induces exocytosis and prolonged hypoxia can induce excessive exocytosis. PC12 cells were used to find which prion protein fragments caused neuronal dysfunction. A contrary view regarding expression of the serotonin pathway by PC12 cells was expressed by the investigators who first established this cell line. == See also ==