title: Nitric oxide signals parallel fiber activity to Bergmann glial cells in the mouse cerebellar slice.
abstract: Stimulation of parallel fibers in the cerebellar cortex triggers a transient calcium increase in Bergmann glial cells, a special form of astrocytes. Using patch-clamping and imaging techniques we have found that this form of neuron-glia interaction is mediated by nitric oxide (NO) since the response is blocked by the NO-synthase inhibitor N omega-nitro-l-arginine and mimicked by NO donors. None of the neurotransmitter receptors of Bergmann glia identified so far participates in or interferes with this signaling cascade. The NO-triggered increases in [Ca(2+)](i), as studied in Bergmann glial cells in the slice or in cultured astrocytes, are due to Ca(2+) influx and not to release from cytoplasmic stores. Thus, NO released from parallel fibers serves as a signaling substance to the neighboring glial elements.
authors.affiliation: Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Cellular Neurosciences, D-13122 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Matyash
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Filippov
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mohrhagen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kettenmann
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002525:Cerebellar Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016257:Fura-2; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2