Differential actions and excitotoxicity of glutamate agonists on motoneurons in adult mouse cervical spinal cord slices

Brain Res. 2002 Dec 27;958(2):434-8. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)03538-2.

Abstract

Electrical activity was recorded from motoneurons in adult mouse cervical spinal cord (C4-8) slices. Motoneurons showed almost no response to ionophoretic application of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) in both control and Mg(2+)-free media, but very sensitive to kainate (KA) and amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA). Bath perfusion of KA, AMPA or glucose/O(2) free Krebs-Ringer solution, but not bath perfusion of NMDA, caused membrane depolarization within 3 min and beading of the dendrite trees after more than 10 min perfusion. Our results indicate that adult motoneurons have few or no NMDA receptors.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cervical Vertebrae / drug effects
  • Cervical Vertebrae / physiology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Glutamic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Motor Neurons / cytology
  • Motor Neurons / drug effects*
  • Motor Neurons / physiology
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / agonists
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology
  • Spinal Cord / cytology
  • Spinal Cord / drug effects*
  • Spinal Cord / physiology

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Glutamic Acid