Ricerc@Sapienza

The gliotransmitter glutamate in different brain regions modulates neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission through a variety of mechanisms. Among the hallmarks of astrocytic glutamate release are the slow depolarizing inward currents (SICs) in neurons mediated by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor activation. Different stimuli that evoke Ca 2+ elevations in astrocytes induce neuronal SICs suggesting a Ca 2+ -dependent exocytotic glutamate release mechanism of SIC generation.

Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction has been reported in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Thus, the availability of CF EC is
paramount to uncover mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction in CF. Using collagenase digestion, we isolated cells from
small fragments of pulmonary artery dissected from non-CF lobes or explanted CF lungs. These cells were a
heterogeneous mixture, containing variable percentages of EC. To obtain virtually pure pulmonary artery endothelial cells