Spinal inhibitory synaptic transmission in the glycine receptor mouse mutant spastic.
Inhibitory glycine receptor (GlyR) and GABA(A) receptor (GABA(A)R)-mediated synaptic transmission was examined in two strains of the GlyR mutant mouse spastic and the respective wild types. The mutants display a mild and a severe neurological phenotype. Electrically evoked postsynaptic whole-cell currents were recorded from alpha-motoneurons in lumbar spinal cord slices. Amplitudes of GlyR-mediated IPSCs were significantly reduced in the severe phenotype in comparison to the respective wild type and the mild phenotype mutants. Surprisingly, amplitudes of GABA(A)R-mediated IPSCs were also significantly reduced in both mutants. Fast time constants of the decay phase of IPSCs were slightly reduced for the GlyR-mediated IPSCs and significantly larger for the GABA(A)R-mediated IPSCs in both mutant strains.
von Wegerer
J
J
Physiologisches Institut, Universität Bonn, Wilhelmstrasse 31, Germany. jvw@physio.uni-bonn.de
Becker
K
K
Glockenhammer
D
D
Becker
C-M
CM
Zeilhofer
H U
HU
Swandulla
D
D
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000502:physiology; D018009:Receptors, Glycine / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D018009:Receptors, Glycine