title: Non-uniform distribution of GABA activated chloride channels in cultured cortical neurons.
abstract: Several different neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels exist in non-random distributions in the membrane of nerve and muscle cells, a pattern which appears to have functional implications. The data presented here, based on the distribution of single channels in outside-out patches, directly demonstrate that receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and their associated chloride channels (GABAA receptors) exist almost exclusively in clusters in the membranes of cultured rat cortical neurons. This non-uniform distribution is present both in innervated and uninnervated neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Frosch
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dichter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002412:Cations; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D018118:Chloride Channels; D004553:Electric Conductivity / Q000187:drug effects; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D018118:Chloride Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D019789:Tetraethylammonium