Detection of protein uptake in in vitro cultured astrocytes exemplified by the uptake of the serine protease, tissue plasminogen activator

Abstract

Astrocytes are heterogeneous cells of the central nervous system whose uptake of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators can influence synaptic signaling. Any malfunction in this process can lead to serious defects in synaptic transmission found in, for example, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or epilepsy. Here we describe how to visualize the uptake of an extracellularly located protein by in vitro cultured astrocytes on the example of tissue plasminogen activator, a serine protease tightly involved in long-term potentiation and seizure generation.