A presynaptic kainate receptor is involved in regulating the dynamic properties of thalamocortical synapses during development.
Previous studies have shown that pharmacological activation of presynaptic kainate receptors at glutamatergic synapses facilitates or depresses transmission in a dose-dependent manner. However, the only synaptically activated kainate autoreceptor described to date is facilitatory. Here, we describe a kainate autoreceptor that depresses synaptic transmission. This autoreceptor is present at developing thalamocortical synapses in the barrel cortex, specifically regulates transmission at frequencies corresponding to those observed in vivo during whisker activation, and is developmentally down regulated during the first postnatal week. This receptor may, therefore, limit the transfer of high-frequency activity to the developing cortex, the loss of which mechanism may be important for the maturation of sensory processing.
Kidd
Fleur L
FL
MRC Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, Department of Anatomy, University of Bristol, BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.
Coumis
Urania
U
Collingridge
Graham L
GL
Crabtree
John W
JW
Isaac
John T R
JT
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017660:Autoreceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology
D017660:Autoreceptors; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018092:Kainic Acid Receptors