title: Neurotransmitter changes during development of cortical neuronal cultures.
abstract: Benzodiazepine (BDZ) ligands clonazepam (CLO) and Ro5-4864 which preferentially bind to neuronal and non-neuronal elements, respectively, have been used to follow neuronal and non-neuronal development in fetal murine cortical cultures. CLO-displaceable BDZ binding, choline acetyltransferase (CAT) activity, high-affinity delta-aminobutyric acid (GABA) uptake, and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity reached a maximum value at the end of the second week in culture reflecting maximum neuronal maturation and development. There is a developmental order of these four functions: CAT activity (main enzyme in the synthesis of acetylcholine, a stimulating neurotransmitter) reached maximal levels first, 3H-GABA uptake and CLO-displaceable flunitrazepam receptor binding reached maximal levels 1 day later, and 4 days later GAD activity (primary enzyme in the synthesis of GABA, an inhibitor neurotransmitter) reached maximal levels.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001570:Benzodiazepinones / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000378:metabolism; D003975:Diazepam / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000378:metabolism; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001570:Benzodiazepinones; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C028513:4'-chlorodiazepam; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002998:Clonazepam; D005445:Flunitrazepam; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase; D003975:Diazepam