Network bursting by organotypic spinal slice cultures in the presence of bicuculline and/or strychnine is developmentally regulated.
Organotypic cocultures of dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord from embryonic rats provides direct access to spinal interneurons in a culture system in which the cytoarchitectural organization of the spinal cord slice is maintained. This preparation was used to investigate the possible induction of rhythmic behaviour at different times of development in vitro. Spontaneous rhythmic bursts induced by coapplication of strychnine (1 microM) and bicuculline (20 microM) were observed with patch-clamp recordings from ventral interneurons. Ventral horn interneurons consistently developed a very regular pattern of activity which was superimposed on a background of sustained synaptic activity. The pattern of the spontaneous bursting following application of strychnine and bicuculline showed a developmentally regulated difference in frequency between two distinct stages of in vitro development.
Biophysics Sector, INFM Unit, International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy.
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Ballerini
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Galante
D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D005333:Fetus; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013331:Strychnine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
D010879:Piperazines; C104291:3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphate; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D018750:6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione; D013331:Strychnine; D001640:Bicuculline