Eicosanoid synthesis and release from primary cultures of rat central nervous system astrocytes and meningeal cells.

Primary cultures of astrocytes and meningeal cells derived from neonatal rat brain synthesize and release thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin, respectively. Exogenously supplied arachidonic acid and the calcium ionophore, A23187, promote the release of eicosanoids; these effects are blocked by indomethacin and the calcium chelator, ethyleneglycoltetraacetic acid. The finding that astrocytes synthesize and release thromboxane A2 is discussed in the light of our recent findings of receptor-linked membrane phospholipid turnover in these cells.