title: Beta-alanine induced ion channels in the membrane of cultured spinal cord neurons.
abstract: beta-Alanine (beta-ALa) is a structural analog of the putative inhibitory transmitters gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glycine. beta-ALa itself depresses firing in cultured mouse spinal cord (SC) neurons, by selectively increasing membrane conductance to chloride ions. Patch clamp recordings now reveal that beta-ALa-sensitive chloride channels in SC cells can open to at least 5 conductance states, 4 of which are very similar to states seen when GABA or glycine is applied to these cells. However, a large, 80 pS conductance state is activated at detectable frequency only in the presence of beta-ALa itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mathers
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grewal
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D018118:Chloride Channels; D002712:Chlorides / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018118:Chloride Channels; D002712:Chlorides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000409:Alanine