Mast cells modulate maintained neuronal activity in the thalamus in vivo.
Single cell unit activity of 187 neurons of 24 rats were analysed to study the possible involvement of intracranial mast cells on modifying thalamic neuronal activity. Mast cells were activated with microiontophoretical application of compound 48/80. This substance did not modify the firing rate of cortical or hippocampal neurons (no mast cells are found here), however it caused excitation (70% in females, 11% in males), or inhibition (7% in females, 33% in males) on thalamic neurons, possibly due to mast cell activation. In consecutive anatomical evaluation many partially or fully degranulated mast cells were found in the recorded thalamic areas.
Kovács
Péter
P
University of Pécs, Department of Experimental Zoology and Neurobiology, 6 Ifjúság str., H-7624, Pécs, Hungary. pkovacs@gamma.ttk.pte.hu
Hernádi
István
I
Wilhelm
Márta
M
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012737:Sex Factors; D013788:Thalamus / Q000166:cytology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine / Q000494:pharmacology
D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D003189:p-Methoxy-N-methylphenethylamine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D007608:Kainic Acid