Effects of L-aspartate on single neurons in striatal slice preparation from chicken brain

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Effects of L-aspartate on single neurons in striatal slice preparation from chicken brain D. Balázs1, A. Csillag1 and G. Gerber1* 1 Semmelweis University, Dept. of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Hungary There is accumulating evidence for a transmitter role of L-aspartate (L-Asp) in various brain regions. Recent studies from our laboratory have indicated that L-Asp is present in excitatory synapses of the striatum/nucl. accumbens of domestic chicks where it is co-released with L-glutamate (L-Glu) from axon terminals. Here we provide data on the postsynaptic effects of L-Asp alongside with L-Glu in striatal slices from chicken (1- to 5-day-old) using visually guided patch-clamp technique. Bath application L-Asp and L-Glu produced similar dose-dependent inward currents and an increase in spontaneous synaptic activity with a threshold concentration around 200 μM in all of the recorded striatal neurons. The amplitude of the inward currents were not substantially modified when the slices were perfused with TTX-containing (1 μM) Krebs solution to block Na spikes and synaptic transmission suggesting a predominant postsynaptic effect of both excitatory amino acids. In the presence of TTX both the NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 (25-100 μM) and the AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist CNQX (10-20 μM) reduced and the co-application of these two antagonists abolished the postsynaptic effects of L-Asp and L-Glu in a reversible manner. The data are the first to demonstrate that L-Asp can induce postsynaptic effects on the chicken striatal neurons. These effects are mediated by both NMDA and non-NMDA type ionotropic glutamate receptors and are similar to those evoked by L-Glu. OTKA 73219 Keywords: Molecular and cellular neurobiology, Neuroscience Conference: 13th Conference of the Hungarian Neuroscience Society (MITT), Budapest, Hungary, 20 Jan - 22 Jan, 2011. Presentation Type: Abstract Topic: Molecular and cellular neurobiology Citation: Balázs D, Csillag A and Gerber G (2011). Effects of L-aspartate on single neurons in striatal slice preparation from chicken brain. Front. Neurosci. Conference Abstract: 13th Conference of the Hungarian Neuroscience Society (MITT). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnins.2011.84.00087 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 03 Mar 2011; Published Online: 23 Mar 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. G. Gerber, Semmelweis University, Dept. of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Budapest, Hungary, gerber@ana.sote.hu Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers D. Balázs A. Csillag G. Gerber Google D. Balázs A. Csillag G. Gerber Google Scholar D. Balázs A. Csillag G. Gerber PubMed D. Balázs A. Csillag G. Gerber Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.