NMDA receptors in cultured radial glia.
The expression of the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors was investigated by Western blot analysis and RT-PCR in cultured chick Bergmann and Müller glial cells. Using subunit-specific antibodies directed to the carboxy terminus of the rat NMDAR2A/B we detected the expression of the NMDAR2 subunit in both kinds of culture. The functional subunit of the NMDA receptor, NMDAR1, was detected by means of RT-PCR. These results, together with our previous functional characterization of NMDA receptors in radial glia, provide conclusive evidence for the expression of functional NMDA receptor/channels in Bergmann and Muller glia cells. Our findings strengthen the notion of a modulatory role of glial cells in synaptic transmission.
López
T
T
Departamento de Genética y Biologia Molecular, México D.F., Mexico.
López-Colomé
A M
AM
Ortega
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D007473:Ion Channels; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012160:Retina / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D007473:Ion Channels; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate