Chromaffin-adrenocortical cell interactions: effects of chromaffin cell activation in adrenal cell cocultures

• Published in: American Journal of Physiology: Cell Physiology 2001-01, Vol.280 (1), p.C61-C71
• Main Authors: Shepherd, S. P, Holzwarth, M. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex - cytology; Adrenal Cortex - drug effects; Adrenal Cortex - metabolism; Adrenal Medulla - cytology; Adrenal Medulla - drug effects; Adrenal Medulla - metabolism; Animals; Carbachol - pharmacology; Cell Communication - drug effects; Cell Communication - physiology; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Size - drug effects; Cell Size - physiology; Cells, Cultured - cytology; Cells, Cultured - drug effects; Cells, Cultured - metabolism; Chromaffin Cells - cytology; Chromaffin Cells - drug effects; Chromaffin Cells - metabolism; Coculture Techniques - methods; Corticosterone - secretion; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; Membrane Potentials - physiology; Phenotype; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - drug effects; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos - metabolism; Rana pipiens; Receptors, Cholinergic - drug effects; Receptors, Cholinergic - metabolism; Sodium Channels - drug effects; Sodium Channels - metabolism; Veratridine - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0363-6143; 1522-1563
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.2001.280.1.c61

1  Neuroscience Program and 2  Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 Although the adrenal cortex and medulla are both involved in the maintenance of homeostasis and stress response, the functional importance of intra-adrenal interactions remains unclear. When primary cocultures of frog ( Rana pipiens) adrenocortical and chromaffin cells were used, selective chromaffin cell activation dramatically affected both chromaffin and adrenocortical cells. Depolarization with 50 µm veratridine enhanced chromaffin cell neuronal phenotype, contacts with adrenocortical cells, and secretion of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and serotonin. Time-lapse video microscopy recorded the rapid establishment of growth cones on the activated chromaffin cell neurites, neurite branching, and outgrowth toward adrenocortical cells. Simultaneously, adrenocortical cells migrated toward chromaffin cells. Following chromaffin cell activation, adrenocortical cell Fos protein expression and corticosteroid secretion were increased, indicating that chromaffin cell modulation of adrenocortical cells is at the transcriptional level. These results provide evidence that intra-adrenal interactions affect cellular differentiation and modulate steroidogenesis. Furthermore, this suggests that the activity-related plasticity of chromaffin and adrenocortical cells is developmentally and physiologically important. time-lapse video microscopy; sympatho-endocrine interaction; adrenocortical; adrenal medulla; steroidogenesis; neural plasticity