Neuronal differentiation in cultures of murine neural crest. I. Neurotransmitter expression

This study examines the properties of neurons differentiating in cultures of mammalian neural crest cells. The neurons fall into two categories: (1) a population of early differentiating (ED) neurons generated from precursors that are postmitotic at the time of plating; and (2) a late differentiating (LD) population of neurons arising from dividing precursor cells. The ED population of neurons survive for only 2-3 days while the LD neurons survive for many weeks. Both groups of neurons express the neuronal marker, neurofilament, as well as adrenergic and cholinergic characteristics. The latter two traits are evident as immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)/dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), respectively. The LD neurons also contain immunoreactivity for a number of neuropeptides including, substance P (SP), neuropeptide Y (NPY), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), calcitonin gene related polypeptide (CGRP), and somatostatin (SOM). Immunoreactivity for SP, CGRP, and VIP are found in virtually all of the LD neurons while SOM and NPY are found in a smaller percentage of the neurons.