title: Downregulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 1a in motoneurons after axotomy.
abstract: Axotomized motoneurons display drastic modifications in synaptic structure and function related to their disconnection from the periphery and establishment of a regenerative metabolic functional mode. The molecular basis of these modifications is not fully understood. Here we describe changes in metabotropic glutamate receptor 1a (mGluR1a)-immunoreactivity 3, 7 or 14 days after unilateral aciatic transection. mGluR1a-immunoreactivity was distributed throughout the somatic cytoplasm and somatodendritic membrane of uninjured motoneurons and was significantly reduced in axotomized motoneurons. This reduction was observed at 3 days and grew progressively over 2 weeks. These findings suggest that downregulation of mGluR1a could contribute to reduced excitatory neurotransmission in axotomized motoneurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45435, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dewey
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Cope
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Fyffe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018094:Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate