The PC12 cell as model for neurosecretion

Abstract

This review attempts to touch on the history and application of amperometry at PC12 cells for fundamental investigation into the exocytosis process. PC12 cells have been widely used as a model for neural differentiation and as such they have been used to examine the effects of differentiation on exocytotic release and specifically release at varicosities. In addition, dexamethasone-differentiated cells have been shown to have an increased number of releasable vesicles with increased quantal size, thereby allowing for an even broader range of applications including neuropharmacological and neurotoxicological studies. PC12 cells exhibiting large numbers of events have two distinct pools of vesicles, one about twice the quantal size of the other and each about half the total releasable vesicles. As will be outlined in this review, these cells have served as an extremely useful model of exocytosis in the study of the latency of stimulation-release coupling, the role of exocytotic proteins in regulation of release, effect of drugs on quantal size, autoreceptors, fusion pore biophysics, environmental factors, health and disease. As PC12 cells have some advantages over other models for neurosecretion, including chromaffin cells, it is more than likely that in the following decade PC12 cells will continue to serve as a model to study exocytosis.

Inositol pyrophosphates inhibit synaptotagmin-dependent exocytosis

“…To determine the physiological effects of 5-IP 7 in synaptic exocytosis, we first examined noradrenaline release by PC12 cells. PC12 cells, which use SNARE and Syt1 proteins for release of synaptic vesicles and large dense-core granules (28), were loaded with radioactive [ 3 H]-noradrenaline, and exocytosis was induced by treating cells with a high concentration of K + ions (29). Compared with control cells expressing empty vector, PC12 cells overexpressing wild-type IP6K1 (IP6K1-WT) for 48 h showed a dramatic reduction (>70%) in neurotransmitter release ( Fig.…”

Expression and Role of T-type Calcium Channels during Neuroendocrine Differentiation

“…One of the most studied cell models for NE differentiation is the PC12 cell line, which is a valuable model for neurosecretion studies [21]. Like normal chromaffin cells, PC12 cells synthesize and re-lease monoamines such as dopamine and noradrenaline, in a calciumregulated manner.…”

Estradiol Inhibits Depolarization-Evoked Exocytosis in PC12 Cells via N-Type Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels

“…were applied at 40-s intervals. The concentration of this stimulation was modeled after the early experiments with estrogen on exocytosis (Lopez et al 1991), and modified to conform to more recent protocols using PC12 cells as models for exocytosis (Sombers et al 2004(Sombers et al , 2007Westerink and Ewing 2008). Next, the recording was suspended, and the electrode was raised from the cell for 10 min to allow the cell to recover.…”

“…PC12 cells secrete dopamine from large dense-core vesicles, permitting detection of individual vesicle release events with carbon fiber amperometry (Chen et al 1994;Westerink and Ewing 2008). They have been used as a model system to study both voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) and intracellular calcium release mechanisms (Bennett et al 1998;Taylor and Peers 1999;Tully and Treistman 2004).…”