Demonstration of local protein synthesis within dendrites using a new cell culture system that permits the isolation of living axons and dendrites from their cell bodies.

The presence of polyribosomes within dendrites suggests a capability for local dendritic protein synthesis. However, local synthesis is difficult to evaluate because of rapid somatodendritic protein transport. The present study describes a two-surfaced culture system that allowed the separation of living axons and dendrites from their cell bodies of origin. Because this system eliminates the transport of proteins produced in the cell body, it was possible to study the extent of dendritic protein synthesis directly. Hippocampal neurons were plated on a Nucleopore polycarbonate membrane that was mounted on a thick matrix of proteins (Matrigel) fixed on a coverslip. As the neurons grew, axons and dendrites grew through the membrane into the Matrigel. To evaluate local protein synthesis within dendrites, the membrane with the cell bodies was removed, leaving a dense array of transected dendrites and axons on the coverslip with few contaminant cell bodies. Absence of cell bodies was confirmed by staining with the nuclear stain Hoechst 33258. Coverslips with isolated neurites were pulse labeled with 3H-leucine for 30 min, and fixed for autoradiography to identify sites of protein synthesis. Autoradiographic analyses revealed that isolated dendrites (immunochemically identified using antibodies against MAP2) became heavily labeled, whereas axons exhibited little if any labeling. The labeling was essentially eliminated when the neurites were pulse labeled with 3H-leucine in the presence of puromycin, whereas labeling was affected only minimally by chloramphenicol. The puromycin-sensitive incorporation of 3H-leucine in dendrites demonstrates that the polyribosomes previously described are active in protein synthesis. This system will allow a characterization of synthetic activity within isolated neurites and provide a new approach to identifying proteins that are produced within dendrites.