title: Evidence for two populations of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in neonatal rat spinal cord. The effect of peripheral nerve axotomy.
abstract: Quantitative autoradiography was used to characterise the binding of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist [3H]dizocilpine maleate (MK801) in the white matter and dorsal, intermediate and ventral subregions of the grey matter in the lumbar spinal cord of neonatal rats. The effect on the binding of unilateral sciatic nerve section on the day of birth was examined. In unoperated animals the Bmax and Kd of the binding had decreased in all subregions by two weeks, when the values were similar to those in the adult. After axotomy the Bmax values declined during the first 14 days in all subregions although the density appeared higher in the grey matter in the ventral horn compared to sham operated control. In the axotomised animals, the Kd values for the white matter and ventral horn grey matter had declined by two weeks but in the dorsal and intermediate subregions of the grey matter the values remained elevated. The results are consistent with the presence of two populations of NMDA receptor at birth. In the normal animals the lower affinity receptor disappears in all subregions, but after axotomy it is retained in the dorsal and intermediate subregions for at least 2 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Lowrie
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001345:Autoradiography; D019771:Axotomy; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000819:agonists / Q000187:drug effects*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate