title: Action of argiotoxin636 on N-methyl-D-aspartate channels in cerebellar cells.
abstract: We investigated the mode of action of argiotoxin636 on isolated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channels in cultured cerebellar granule cells. We found that the toxin blocks NMDA channels by decreasing their opening probability and by inducing a flickering activity, in a voltage-dependent manner. Our results indicate that argiotoxin636 acts as an open-channel blocker and might therefore be a useful tool for studying the structure of glutamate-gated channels.
authors.affiliation: Mécanismes Moléculaires des Interactions Cellulaires, CNRS-UPR 9023, CCIPE, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fagni
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bockaert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D010648:Phenylacetates; D011073:Polyamines; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D013111:Spider Venoms; C558368:argiotoxin-636