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The Journal of Neuroscience, November 1, 2000, 20(21):7914-7921
Slow Desensitization Regulates the Availability of Synaptic
GABAA Receptors
Linda S.
Overstreet1,
Mathew V.
Jones2, and
Gary
L.
Westbrook1
1 Vollum Institute, Oregon Health Sciences University,
Portland, Oregon 97201, and 2 Department of Physiology,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
At central synapses, a large and fast spike of neurotransmitter
efficiently activates postsynaptic receptors. However, low concentrations of transmitter can escape the cleft and activate presynaptic and postsynaptic receptors. We report here that low concentrations of GABA reduce IPSCs in hippocampal neurons by preferentially desensitizing rather than opening GABAA
channels. GABA transporter blockade also caused desensitization by
locally elevating GABA to ~1 µM. Recovery of the IPSC
required several seconds, mimicking recovery of the channel from slow
desensitization. These results indicate that low levels of GABA can
regulate the amplitude of IPSCs by producing a slow form of receptor
desensitization. Accumulation of channels in this absorbing state
allows GABAA receptors to detect even a few molecules of
GABA in the synaptic cleft.
Key words:
synaptic inhibition; desensitization; mIPSC; hippocampus; GABA transporters; ligand-gated ion channel; uptake blocker; postsynaptic
Copyright © 2000 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/00/20217914-08$05.00/0
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