title: Selective activation of calcium permeability by aspartate in Purkinje cells.
abstract: Glutamate and aspartate are endogenous excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters widely distributed in the mammalian central nervous system. Aspartate was shown to induce a large membrane current sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor antagonists in Purkinje cells from mice lacking functional NMDA receptors (NR1(-/-)). This response was accompanied by high permeability to calcium. In contrast, no current was induced by aspartate in hippocampal neurons and cerebellar granule cells from NR1(-/-) mice. Several other glutamate receptor agonists failed to evoke this response. Thus, in Purkinje cells, aspartate activates a distinct response capable of contributing to synaptic plasticity through calcium permeability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 North Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuzaki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Connor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010539:Permeability; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D017459:Receptors, Amino Acid; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C031959:aspartic acid receptor; D006710:Homocysteine; C007956:homocysteic acid; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium