Uptake and metabolism of choline in primary isolated neurons and glial cells in culture.

The influx and metabolism of choline have been studied in primary cultures of isolated neurons and glial cells from chick embryo dissociated cerebral hemispheres. The results showed a correlation between both influx and metabolism of choline and the exogenous concentrations of choline. When neurons and glial cells were preincubated (10 min) and incubated in Krebs-Ringer phosphate solution with concentrations of choline lower (0.5 ?M) or higher (150 ?M) than the one present in the growth medium, the metabolism of choline, as a function of time, approached saturation following unusual kinetics. This suggests a non steady state of the endocellular concentrations of free choline. Moreover, when both neurons and glial cells were preincubated (10 min) with 50 ?M choline and then incubated (2 min) with various concentrations of choline, only one uptake mechanism was measured, while the preincubation in the absence of choline followed by the incubation of the cells with various concentrations of choline showed the presence of two apparent K(m)'s with different affinities. The results also indicate the capacity of glial cells to incorporate choline suggesting a storage function for the cells.