Regulation of presynaptic cellular function. Biochemical studies using clonal neuronal cells.

Experiments from several different laboratories are reviewed in which clonal neuronal cell lines are being used to study neuronal cellular functions. Primary emphasis is placed on two cell lines, the neuroblastoma X glioma hybrid clone NG108-15 and the pheochromocytoma clone PC12. These particular cell lines are useful because they display many of the properties normally associated with differentiated neurons. The properties which have been studied include: the regulation of adenylate cyclase and the receptors which activate or inhibit its activity, regulation of the cholinergic properties of NG 108-15 and both adrenergic and cholinergic properties of PC12, the response of PC12 to nerve growth factor, and the regulation of synaptogenesis between NG 108-15 cells and cultured muscle. The goal of the review is to not only summarize the information obtained with these two cell lines but also to emphasize the types of research in which clonal cell lines may be most useful in the future.