title: Novel functions of GABA signaling in adult neurogenesis.
abstract: Neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutiric acid (GABA) through ionotropic GABAAand metabotropic GABABreceptors plays key roles in modulating the development, plasticity and function of neuronal networks. GABA is inhibitory in mature neurons but excitatory in immature neurons, neuroblasts and neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs/NPCs). The switch from excitatory to inhibitory occurs following the development of glutamatergic synaptic input and results from the dynamic changes in the expression of Na+/K+/2Cl-co-transporter NKCC1 driving Cl-influx and neuron-specific K+/Cl-co-transporter KCC2 driving Cl-efflux. The developmental transition of KCC2 expression is regulated by Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling. The excitatory GABA signaling during early neurogenesis is important to the activity/experience-induced regulation of NSC quiescence, NPC proliferation, neuroblast migration and newborn neuronal maturation/functional integration. The inhibitory GABA signaling allows for the sparse and static functional networking essential for learning/memory development and maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA ; Universidade do Estado do Pará, Santarém, PA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Adalto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pontes
authors.forename: Yonggang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wenhui
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
keywords: GABA; co-transporter; neural stem cells; neurogenesis; neurons; signal pathways