Synaptic transmission between rat inferior olivary neurons and cerebellar Purkinje cells in culture

1990 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Hirano
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Purkinje Cell ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Outward Current ◽  
Nmda Antagonist ◽  
Cells In Culture ◽  
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells ◽  
Inferior Olivary

1. Monosynaptic excitatory connections between rat inferior olivary neurons and cerebellar Purkinje cells were studied in culture. Cerebellar cells were dissociated and cultured with small pieces of tissue excised from inferior olivary region. 2. Stimulation of inferior olivary neurons elicited an all-or-none response, which resembled a climbing fiber response, in a whole-cell current-clamped Purkinje cell. Under a voltage-clamp condition of a Purkinje cell, large excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) was recorded. 3. The inward EPSC recorded at -50 mV decreased in amplitude as the membrane potential was set more positive and reversed to the outward current around -10 mV. The amplitude of the EPSC changed linearly with the membrane potential between -90 and 10 mV, both in Mg2(+)-free and Mg2(+)-containing solutions. 4. The EPSC was suppressed with excitatory amino acid antagonist kynurenate or gamma-D-glutamylglycine (DGG) at 1 mM. Specific N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), little affected the EPSC at 0.2 mM. 5. The results indicate that the functional synapses were formed between inferior olivary neurons and cerebellar Purkinje cells in culture and suggest that the major postsynaptic receptors at the synapse are excitatory amino acid receptors of non-NMDA type.

Excitatory amino acid receptors of rod- and cone-driven horizontal cells in the rabbit retina

1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 645-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Massey ◽  
R. F. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Potential ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Direct Action ◽  
Horizontal Cell ◽  
Nmda Antagonist ◽  
Horizontal Cells ◽  
Rabbit Retina ◽  
Light Responses ◽  
Axon Terminals

Intracellular recordings were obtained from horizontal cells in the superfused retina-eyecup preparation of the rabbit. Rod- and cone-dominated horizontal cells were studied using bath-applied excitatory amino acid analogues. Cone-dominated horizontal cell somas were depolarized by kainate (KA) or quisqualate (QQ) and their light responses were reduced or abolished. They were not affected by N-methyl-DL-aspartate (NMDLA) at concentrations up to 2 mM or by 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (APB), a selective agonist for the ON bipolar cell. When synaptic transmission was blocked with cobalt, horizontal cell somas were hyperpolarized. Under these conditions, KA and QQ caused large depolarizations suggesting that these agents have a direct action on horizontal cell somas. Excitatory amino acid antagonists such as cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylic acid (PDA) and kynurenic acid (Kyn) hyperpolarized horizontal cell somas to the level of the light-driven membrane potential. These antagonists blocked both the light-driven responses and the depolarizing action of KA. The specific NMDA antagonist 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoate (AP-7) had no effect on the membrane potential or light-driven responses of horizontal cell somas. In contrast to a previous report, we found no evidence that low concentrations of NMDLA could hyperpolarize horizontal cells or act as a KA antagonist in the rabbit retina. Rod-dominated axon terminals were identified by waveform, threshold, and the presence of a large rod after-potential evoked by high light intensity. These cells were depolarized by KA and their light responses were attenuated. NMDLA and APB had no effect on these cells. The general antagonists, PDA and Kyn, hyperpolarized axon terminals and blocked their light-evoked responses. The specific NMDA antagonist, AP-7, had no effect on these cells. These results suggest that the synaptic receptors that mediate light input to both rod- and cone-dominated horizontal cells are kainate or quisqualate receptors. This implies that the rod and cone transmitters of the rabbit retina are similar, with the characteristics of an excitatory amino acid, such as glutamate.

Slow excitatory amino acid receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in turtle cerebellar Purkinje cells

1990 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 637-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Larson-Prior ◽  
D. R. McCrimmon ◽  
N. T. Slater
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Motor Pattern ◽  
Pattern Generation ◽  
Resting Membrane Potential ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid Receptor ◽  
Acid Receptor ◽  
Synaptic Potentials ◽  
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells

1. The excitatory synaptic responses of turtle Purkinje cells to climbing and parallel fiber (CF and PF) stimulation have been studied by the use of intrasomatic and intradendritic recordings in intact cerebellum and brain stem-cerebellum preparations in vitro. 2. Activation of CF inputs from the cerebellar peduncle or the region of the inferior olive evoked complex spikes followed by slow excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs), both of which were evoked in an all-or-none fashion. 3. Single stimuli applied to the cerebellar molecular layer activated fast PF-mediated EPSPs; brief trains of PF stimuli (2-5 stimuli, 50-100 Hz) evoked volleys of fast EPSPs followed by a slow, long-lasting EPSP. The amplitude of the fast and slow PF-mediated EPSPs were both graded with stimulus intensity. 4. Slow EPSPs evoked both by CF and PF stimulation were associated with an increase in membrane conductance and were increased in amplitude by hyperpolarization. 5. The CF-evoked slow EPSP was profoundly attenuated by repetitive activation at interstimulus intervals of less than 15-20 s, whereas the PF-evoked slow EPSP was not reduced by repetitive activation. 6. The PF-evoked slow EPSP readily triggered dendritic pacemaker discharges when activated at or near resting membrane potential. The activation of this potential by phasic PF volleys may, therefore, provide an appropriate synaptic drive to cerebellar Purkinje cells to entrain the intrinsic pacemaker properties of these cells to cycles of motor activity. 7. Both slow synaptic potentials were blocked by the excitatory amino acid antagonists kynurenate and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), but not by DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (DL-AP5) or L-serine-O-phosphate (L-SOP). The PF-evoked slow EPSP was selectively antagonized by L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (L-AP4; 20-100 microM). 8. It is suggested that the CF- and PF-evoked slow EPSPs observed in this study represent a novel class of excitatory amino acid receptor-mediated slow synaptic potentials activated by Purkinje cell afferents, which may play a role in synaptic integration and motor pattern generation in the cerebellum.

Serotonin depresses excitatory amino acid-induced excitation of cerebellar Purkinje cells in the adult rat in vivo

1993 ◽  
Vol 608 (1) ◽  
pp. 145-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Netzeband ◽  
Luther B. Weathers ◽  
Howard K. Strahlendorf ◽  
Jean C. Strahlendorf
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Adult Rat ◽  
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells

scholarly journals Activation of MAP3K DLK and LZK in Purkinje Cells Causes Rapid and Slow Degeneration Depending on Signaling Strength

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunbo Li ◽  
Erin M Ritchie ◽  
Christopher L. Steinke ◽  
Cai Qi ◽  
Lizhen Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Purkinje Cell ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Leucine Zipper ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Cell Degeneration ◽  
Mechanistic Basis ◽  
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells ◽  
Jnk Activation

SummaryThe conserved MAP3K Dual leucine zipper kinases can activate JNK via MKK4 or MKK7. Vertebrate DLK and LZK share similar biochemical activities and undergo auto-activation upon increased expression. Depending on cell-type and nature of insults DLK and LZK can induce pro-regenerative, pro-apoptotic or pro-degenerative responses, although the mechanistic basis of their action is not well understood. Here, we investigated these two MAP3Ks in cerebellar Purkinje cells using loss- and gain-of function mouse models. While loss of each or both kinases does not cause discernible defects in Purkinje cells, activating DLK causes rapid death and activating LZK leads to slow degeneration. Each kinase induces JNK activation and caspase-mediated apoptosis independent of each other. Significantly, deleting CELF2, which regulates alternative splicing of Mkk7, strongly attenuates Purkinje cell degeneration induced by activation of LZK, but not DLK. Thus, controlling the activity levels of DLK and LZK is critical for neuronal survival and health.

Excitatory amino acid receptor-mediated transmission in geniculocortical and intracortical pathways within visual cortex

1991 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 293-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. Larson-Prior ◽  
P. S. Ulinski ◽  
N. T. Slater
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Nmda Antagonist ◽  
Receptor Subtypes ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid Receptor ◽  
Visual Cortical ◽  
Stimulation Of

1. A preparation of turtle (Chrysemys picta and Pseudemys scripta) brain in which the integrity of the intracortical and geniculocortical pathways in visual cortex are maintained in vitro has been used to differentiate the excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor subtypes involved in geniculocortical and intracortical synapses. 2. Stimulation of the geniculocortical fibers at subcortical loci produces monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in visual cortical neurons. These EPSPs are blocked by the broad-spectrum EAA receptor antagonist kynurenate (1-2 mM) and the non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 6, 7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX, 10 microM), but not by the NMDA antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (D,L-AP-5, 100 microM). These results indicate that the geniculocortical EPSP is mediated by EAAs that access principally, if not exclusively, EAA receptors of the non-NMDA subtypes. 3. Stimulation of intracortical fibers evokes compound EPSPs that could be resolved into three components differing in latency to peak. The component with the shortest latency was not affected by any of the EAA-receptor antagonists tested. The second component, of intermediate latency, was blocked by kyurenate and DNQX but not by D,L-AP-5. The component of longest latency was blocked by kynurenate and D,L-AP-5, but not by DNQX. These results indicate that the compound intracortical EPSP is comprised of three pharmacologically distinct components that are mediated by an unknown receptor, by quisqualate/kainate, and by NMDA receptors, respectively. 4. Repetitive stimulation of intracortical pathways at 0.33 Hz produces a dramatic potentiation of the late, D,L-AP-5-sensitive component of the intracortical EPSP. 5. These experiments lead to a hypothesis about the subtypes of EAA receptors that are accessed by the geniculocortical and intracortical pathways within visual cortex.

Neurotransmitters in the thalamus relaying visceral input to the insular cortex in the rat

2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (5) ◽  
pp. R1665-R1674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Barnabi ◽  
David F. Cechetto
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Excitatory Amino Acid ◽  
Insular Cortex ◽  
Nmda Antagonist ◽  
Cortical Response ◽  
Evoked Response ◽  
Adrenergic Antagonist ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Specific Antagonist

Neurotransmitters relaying ascending visceral information were examined by comparing the response of neurons in the insular cortex to vagal stimulation (0.8 Hz, 2 mA) before and after neurotransmitter antagonist injections (200 nl) in the ventroposterior parvocellular nucleus of the thalamus (VPpc). Cobalt (10 mM; presynaptic blocker) and kynurenate (100 μM; nonspecific excitatory amino acid antagonist) injections in the VPpc resulted in an attenuation (73–100 and 38–98%, respectively) of the evoked cortical response. Injections of the specific N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonistdl-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (200 μM and 2 mM) did not affect the vagally evoked response, whereas the nonspecific non-NMDA antagonist l-glutamic acid diethylester (200 μM) attenuated the vagally evoked response by 66–100%. Three concentrations of thedl-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA)-specific antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (20 and 200 μM and 2 mM) attenuated the vagally evoked cortical response by 29 ± 9, 31 ± 10, and 59 ± 8%, respectively. The more selective AMPA antagonist 6-nitro-7-sulphamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline-2,3-dione (200 μM and 2 mM) inhibited the vagally evoked cortical response by 53 ± 8 and 52 ± 3%, respectively. Phentolamine (0.1 and 1.0 μM), a general α-adrenergic antagonist, and picrotoxin (0.1 and 1.0 μM), a GABAA antagonist, did not affect the vagally evoked response. Atropine, a muscarinic cholinergic antagonist, decreased the vagally evoked response by 40 ± 2% at a concentration of 0.1 μM, but a higher concentration of 1.0 μM had no effect. These results indicate that the non-NMDA excitatory amino acid receptor is necessary for the relay of visceral information in the VPpc. Muscarinic receptors may modulate visceral neuronal excitability in the VPpc, although the exact interaction between the inhibitory (m2) and excitatory (m3 or m5) muscarinic receptor types found in the thalamus is not known.

scholarly journals Expression of the yes proto-oncogene in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

1989 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 4545-4549 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Sudol ◽  
C F Kuo ◽  
L Shigemitsu ◽  
A Alvarez-Buylla
Keyword(s):  
In Situ Hybridization ◽  
Purkinje Cell ◽  
Gene Product ◽  
Purkinje Cells ◽  
Immunofluorescent Staining ◽  
Cell Degeneration ◽  
Functional Studies ◽  
Cerebellar Purkinje Cells ◽  
The Brain

To identify the kinds of cells in the brain that express the yes proto-oncogene, we examined chicken brains by using immunofluorescent staining and in situ hybridization. Both approaches showed that the highest level of the yes gene product was in cerebellar Purkinje cells. In addition, we analyzed Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd) mutant mice. The level of yes mRNA in cerebella of pcd mutants was four times lower than that found in cerebella of normal littermates. Our studies point to Purkinje cells as an attractive model for functional studies of the yes protein.

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