Human neural stem cells: electrophysiological properties of voltage-gated ion channels

Abstract

We have characterized the pro¢le ofmembrane currents in an immortalized human neural stem cell line, HB1.F3 cells, using wholecell patch clamp technique.Human neural stemcell line generated from primary cell cultures of embryonic human telencephalon using a replication-incompetent retroviral vector containing vmyc expresses nestin, a cell type-speci¢c marker for neural stem cells.The human neural stemcells expressed both outward and inward Kþ currents with no evidence for Naþ currents.The density of the outward, delayed rectifying type Kþ current was 1.870.015 nA/pF, and that of the inwardly rectifying Kþ current was 0.3770.012 nA/pF (at 30mMof [Kþ]o). In order to induce neuronal di¡erentiation of the neural stem cells, a full-length coding region of NeuroD, a neurogenic transcription factor, was transfected into HB1.F3 cells. Introduction of NeuroDi nduced expression of Naþ currents with the current density of 0.04270.011nA/ pF. The presence of two types of Kþ currents and expression of Naþ currents induced byNeuroDap pear to re£ect the characteristic physiological features of human neural stemcells.NeuroReport 13:1447^1452 c 2002 LippincottWilliams &Wilkins. Key words:Human neural stemcells; NeuroD; Potassiumcurrents; Sodiumcurrents; Patch-clamp