L-Serine and glycine serve as major astroglia-derived trophic factors for cerebellar Purkinje neurons

Shigeki Furuya*, Toshihide Tabata, Junya Mitoma, Keiko Yamada, Miwako Yamasaki, Asami Makino, Toshifumi Yamamoto, Masahiko Watanabe, Masanobu Kano, Yoshio Hirabayashi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

174 Scopus citations

Abstract

Glial cells support the survival and development of central neurons through the supply of trophic factors. Here we demonstrate that L-serine (L-Ser) and glycine (Gly) also are glia-derived trophic factors. These amino acids are released by astroglial cells and promote the survival, dendritogenesis, and electrophysiological development of cultured cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Although L-Ser and Gly are generally classified as nonessential amino acids, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (3PGDH), a key enzyme for their biosynthesis, is not expressed in Purkinje neurons. By contrast, the Bergman glia, a native astroglia in the cerebellar cortex, highly expresses 3PGDH. These data suggest that L-Ser and Gly mediate the trophic actions of glial cells on Purkinje neurons.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11528-11533
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume97
Issue number21
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000/10/10

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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