Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 9, 3955-3965, Copyright © 1989 by Society for Neuroscience
Development of inhibitory synapses among striatal neurons in vitro
JM Dubinsky
Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.
The development of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic connections has been
studied in postnatal neurons from the caudate and putamen maintained in
tissue culture. Excitatory postsynaptic potentials which were sensitive to
the glutamate antagonist CNQX (6-cyano-7- nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione)
appeared between 4 and 8 d in vitro. This is the first indication that
glutamatergic excitatory neurons may be intrinsic to the striatum.
Spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents appeared at approximately the
same time, several days after process outgrowth. Antibodies to glutamic
acid decarboxylase (GAD), the synthetic enzyme for GABA, labeled neurons
which produce bicuculline- sensitive, inhibitory postsynaptic currents. GAD
immunoreactivity and immunoreactivity to synapsin I, a synaptic
vesicle-associated protein, became localized to discrete sites along
neurites 4-8 d after plating. It is concluded that the punctate GAD
immunoreactivity identified possible sites of presynaptic transmitter
release.