Uptake of L-DOPA by the cells of organotypic culture from chick-embryo brain hemispheres.

With the use of the histofluorescence method investigations were performed on L-DOPA uptake by the cells of an organotypic culture from chick-embryo brain hemispheres and newborn rats. It has been found that in chick-embryos between the 8th to 11th day of development and 5 to 14 days in culture in vitro, with a concentration of 0.1 mg/10ml of L-DOPA applied to the culture, intense fluorescence in cell membranes, perinuclear region and sometimes in the whole cell body and the initial parts of the cell processes can be observed. It is supposed that in the stage of development of chick-embryos and newborn rats under study neural elements and glial cells take up the amino-acid applied. The authors suggest that the uptake of L-DOPA proceeds rather through the uptake II mechanism.