title: Taurine-activated chloride currents in the rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons.
abstract: The electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of taurine (Tau)-activated Cl- currents (ITau) were investigated in the dissociated rat sacral dorsal commissural nucleus (SDCN) neurons using the nystatin perforated patch recording configuration under voltage-clamp conditions. The reversal potential of ITau was close to the Cl- equilibrium potential. The ITau was not affected by a preceding GABA response but cross-desensitized by a preceding glycine (Gly) response. Strychnine (STR), picrotoxin (PIC), bicuculline (BIC) and Zn2+ suppressed the ITau in a concentration-dependent manner. The pharmacology of the ITau and Gly-induced response (IGly) was similar, though Zn2+ inhibition on ITau differed from that on IGly in being much slower in recovery. Serotonin potentiated the ITau via protein kinase C. The results indicate that both Tau and Gly act on a strychnine-sensitive site to open the same Cl- channels in the SDCN neurons, and suggest that Tau may act as a functional neurotransmitter in the mammalian SDCN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, China.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Z P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akaike
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D065101:Chloride Channel Agonists; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D004594:Electrophysiology; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D065101:Chloride Channel Agonists; D018118:Chloride Channels; D016875:tau Proteins; D009761:Nystatin; D013654:Taurine; D012701:Serotonin; D015032:Zinc