Differential activation of glutamate receptors by spontaneously released transmitter in slices of neocortex. LoTurco, J J, Mody, I, & Kriegstein, A R Neurosci Lett, 114(3):265–271, Ireland, July, 1990.
abstract   bibtex   
Whole-cell recordings were made from neurons in neocortical brain slices in order to characterize excitatory synaptic currents mediated by glutamate receptors. Glutamate receptor antagonists, D-aminophosphonovalerate (D-APV) and CNQX, selectively attenuated distinct components in evoked synaptic currents, and were used to differentiate spontaneous synaptic currents mediated by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptors. Spontaneous excitatory synaptic currents were independent of action potentials, varied linearly with voltage, and were blocked by the non-NMDA receptor antagonist CNQX. An NMDA receptor-mediated component was not apparent in these spontaneous synaptic currents, however, when magnesium was omitted from the recording medium, fluctuations in current and sustained inward current became apparent, and these were blocked by the NMDA receptor antagonist D-APV. Based on these findings, we conclude that NMDA and non-NMDA receptors are activated differentially by transmitter released independently of action potentials.
@ARTICLE{LoTurco1990-ho,
  title    = "Differential activation of glutamate receptors by spontaneously
              released transmitter in slices of neocortex",
  author   = "LoTurco, J J and Mody, I and Kriegstein, A R",
  abstract = "Whole-cell recordings were made from neurons in neocortical brain
              slices in order to characterize excitatory synaptic currents
              mediated by glutamate receptors. Glutamate receptor antagonists,
              D-aminophosphonovalerate (D-APV) and CNQX, selectively attenuated
              distinct components in evoked synaptic currents, and were used to
              differentiate spontaneous synaptic currents mediated by
              N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptors. Spontaneous
              excitatory synaptic currents were independent of action
              potentials, varied linearly with voltage, and were blocked by the
              non-NMDA receptor antagonist CNQX. An NMDA receptor-mediated
              component was not apparent in these spontaneous synaptic
              currents, however, when magnesium was omitted from the recording
              medium, fluctuations in current and sustained inward current
              became apparent, and these were blocked by the NMDA receptor
              antagonist D-APV. Based on these findings, we conclude that NMDA
              and non-NMDA receptors are activated differentially by
              transmitter released independently of action potentials.",
  journal  = "Neurosci Lett",
  volume   =  114,
  number   =  3,
  pages    = "265--271",
  month    =  jul,
  year     =  1990,
  address  = "Ireland",
  language = "en"
}

Downloads: 0