Norio Sakuragawa1,*, Mohamed A. Elwan1, Saiko Uchida1,
Takeshi Fujii2 and Koichiro Kawashima2
1Department of Inherited Metabolic Diseases, National Institute
of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo
187-8502, Japan
2Department of Pharmacology, Kyoritsu College of Pharmacy, Tokyo
105-8512, Japan
*Corresponding author. FAX: +81-423-46-1746
E-mail: sakuraga@ncnp.go.jp
Abstract: Human amniotic epithelial cells (HAEC) are formed from
epiblasts on the 8th day after fertilization. Because they lack major histocompatibility
complex (MHC) antigen, human amniotic tissue transplantation has been used
for allotranplantation to treat patients with lysosomal diseases. We have
provided evidence that HAEC have multiple functions such as synthesis and
release of acetylcholine (ACh) and catecholamine (CA) as well as expressing
mRNA coding for dopamine receptors and dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT).
On the other hand, we showed that monkey amniotic epithelial cells (MAEC)
synthesize and release CA and posses DA receptors and DAT. Detection of
muscarinic actylcholine receptors indicates the presence of an autocrine
mechanism in HAEC. Recently, we found that HAEC have neurotrophic function
in conditioned medium from HAEC, indicating the presence of a novel neurotrohpic
factor that is synthesized and released from HAEC. The amniotic membrane
may have a significant role in supplying neurotrophic factors as well as
neurotransmitters to the amniotic fluid, suggesting an important function
in the early stages of neural development of the embryo. This review will
focus on the neuropharmacological aspects of HAEC and MAEC in relation to
the physiology of amniotic membrane.
Keywords: Acetylcholine, Amniotic epithelial cell (human and monkey),
Catecholamine, Neurotransmitter, Neurotrophic factor
Copyright The Japanese Pharmacological Society
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