title: Changes of extracellular calcium concentration induced by application of excitatory amino acids in the human neocortex in vitro.
abstract: The influence of the glutamate subreceptor agonists N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) on cortical field potentials and on changes in extracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]o) was tested on human neocortical slices (eleven from nine different patients). The tissue used was a small portion of that which is normally removed for the treatment of a brain tumor. [Ca2+]o and field potentials were measured by Ca(2+)-selective microelectrodes. Local pressure-microejection of NMDA (100 mumol/l)- and AMPA (1 mmol/l)-induced negative field potentials with maximal amplitudes of 0.9 +/- 0.1 mV (11 slices, mean +/- S.E.M.) and 1.0 +/- 0.1 mV (nine slices), respectively. The negative field potentials induced by NMDA were accompanied by monophasic decreases of [Ca2+]o (0.8 +/- 0.1 mmol/l, nine slices). AMPA elicited no (three slices) or only minor decreases of [Ca2+]o (0.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/l, five slices). The responses to the glutamate subreceptor agonists NMDA and AMPA were reversibly depressed by adding their specific antagonists DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV, 100 mumol/l, six slices) and 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxalin-2,3-dion (CNQX, 5 mumol/l, four slices), respectively. The results correspond to findings in animal experiments and are consistent with the interpretation that in the human neocortex the Ca2+ permeability of channels gated by NMDA is higher than those gated by AMPA.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physiologie, Universität Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lücke
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Köhling
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moskopp
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wassmann
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speckmann
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D002118:Calcium