N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor activation and Ca2+ account for poor pyramidal cell structure in hippocampal slices.
The CA1 pyramidal cells appear damaged in micrographs of guinea pig hippocampal slices incubated in normal physiological buffer at 36-37 degrees C. This is remedied if slices are incubated in modified buffers for the first 45 min. Cell morphology is improved if this buffer is devoid of added Ca2+ and much improved if it contains N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists or 0 mM Ca2+ and 10 mM Mg2+. The cells then appear similar to CA1 pyramidal cells in situ. These findings support the notion that NMDA receptor activation and Ca2+, acting in the period immediately after slice preparation, permanently damage CA1 pyramidal cells in vitro.
Feig
S
S
Department of Anatomy, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
Lipton
P
P
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002021:Buffers; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
D000596:Amino Acids; D002021:Buffers; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; C064935:4-amino-5-phosphonoheptanoic acid; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D007649:Ketamine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D008274:Magnesium