Developmental neuron-glia interaction: role of the serotonin innervation upon the onset of GABA uptake into the ependymocytes of the rat subcommissural organ

Abstract

The subcommissural organ (SCO) of the rat allows the analysis of neuron-glia interactions, in vivo, during the maturation of the brain. The SCO contains a single glial cell type which receives a homogeneous serotonin (5-HT) innervation. The onset of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake transport into the SCO ependymocytes is dependent on the 5-HT innervation since destruction of this innervation, at birth, or transplantation of newborn rat SCO ependymocytes to the fourth ventricle of adult host rats prevented the appearance of [ 3H]GABA uptake as visualized by autoradiography.