Locus coeruleus neurons in culture have a developmentally transient alpha 1 adrenergic response.
Intracellular recordings from locus coeruleus neurons grown in explant cultures reveal age-related differences in the responses to iontophoretically applied noradrenaline. Cells grown in culture for more than 26 days exhibit a simple hyperpolarizing response while cells cultured for less than 26 days often have biphasic hyperpolarizing-depolarizing responses. Pharmacological studies with selective adrenergic agonists and antagonists show that the hyperpolarizations and hyperpolarizing parts of biphasic responses are mediated by alpha 2 adrenergic receptors while the depolarizing responses are mediated by alpha 1 receptors. These observations may reflect a population of neurotransmitter receptors which is transiently present during early postnatal development.
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013015:Sotalol / Q000494:pharmacology
D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D013015:Sotalol; D009638:Norepinephrine