title: Anatomical distribution and postnatal changes in endogenous free D-aspartate and D-serine in rat brain and periphery.
abstract: We have investigated the anatomical distribution and postnatal development of D-aspartate and D-serine in the rat brain and periphery using HPLC techniques. D-Serine was confined predominantly to the brain throughout postnatal life. At birth, a substantial quantity of D-serine was observed throughout the brain areas. The cerebral D-serine content increased from birth to postnatal week (PW) 3 and remained constant thereafter, whereas the cerebellar D-serine content peaked at PW1. In contrast, the transient emergence of D-aspartate was found in almost all brain and peripheral organs. A substantial quantity of D-aspartate was also seen in all brain areas at birth, whereas the D-aspartate content in the cerebrum and cerebellum decreased dramatically by PW1 and 7 respectively. Further, the D-aspartate content and the ratio of D-aspartate to total aspartate were highest in the adrenal at PW3 (608 +/- 70 nmol/g, 45.9%) and in the testis at PW14 (221 +/- 7 nmol/g, 57.8%) respectively. Because D-serine potentiates N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-mediated transmission through the strychnine-insensitive glycine site and because D-serine exhibits an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-related distribution and development, D-serine may be a tenable candidate for an intrinsic ligand for the glycine site. In contrast, because the periods of maximal emergence of D-aspartate in the brain and periphery occur during critical periods of morphological and functional maturation of organs, D-aspartate could participate in the regulation of these developmental processes of organs.
authors.affiliation: Group of Cell and Information, Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Research Development Corporation of Japan, Saitama.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012694:Serine / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D012694:Serine