Membrane properties of cultured glial cells obtained mechanically or by enzymatic dissociation: differential alterations by gangliosides.

Rat astroglial cells were obtained either mechanically or by enzymatic dissociation and some properties of the primary and secondary cultures were studied. Differences in the ganglioside amount, taurine uptake, membrane fluorescence anisotropy, or their respective modulation by total brain gangliosides confirmed that although the two types of cultures are morphologically similar, they are biochemically distinct.