Early maturation of GABAergic synapses in mouse retinal ganglion cells.
This study was aimed to characterize the earliest phases of synapse development in mouse retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) by recording spontaneous postsynaptic currents (PSCs). First PSCs were detected at embryonic day 17 and completely suppressed by bicuculline, demonstrating their GABAergic nature. Starting from postnatal day 3 a small fraction of RGCs had rapidly decaying, most likely glutamatergic currents. The present results suggest that functional GABAergic synapses with RGCs appear before birth and that GABAergic synaptic transmission precedes that of glutamate in the retina. In this early period GABA acts in a depolarizing manner and takes over an excitatory function.
Unsoeld
Thomas
T
Developmental Neurobiology, Max-Delbrück-Center, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13092 Berlin, Germany.
Stradomska
Alicja M
AM
Wang
Rui
R
Rathjen
Fritz G
FG
Jüttner
Rene
R
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D053444:Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D018756:GABA Antagonists; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid