QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, May 19, 2004, 24(20):4749-4757; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5211-03.2004

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (38) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Baccei, M. L. Articles by Fitzgerald, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Baccei, M. L. Articles by Fitzgerald, M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Development/Plasticity/Repair
Development of GABAergic and Glycinergic Transmission in the Neonatal Rat Dorsal Horn

Mark L. Baccei and Maria Fitzgerald

Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom

Cutaneous spinal sensory transmission appears to lack inhibitory control in the newborn spinal cord, but the properties of GABAergic and glycinergic synapses in the neonatal dorsal horn have not been characterized. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from rat superficial dorsal horn neurons in spinal cord slices at postnatal day 0 (P0) to P2, P6–P7, and P13–P14 revealed an age-dependent increase in the frequency of spontaneous IPSCs, which were abolished by the GABA_A receptor (GABA_AR) antagonist bicuculline between P0 and P7 but not at P14. GABA_AR-mediated miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs), but not glycinergic mIPSCs, were present at birth, and GABA mIPSCs remained more frequent than glycine mIPSCs at all ages. Sciatic nerve stimulation resulted in IPSCs with both GABAergic and glycinergic components, although a larger contribution arose from GABA_A receptors at all ages. In gramicidin perforated patch-clamp recordings, exogenous GABA applications produced depolarization in 40% of neurons at P0–P2, but the reversal potential of GABA-evoked currents (E_GABA) was consistently more negative than action potential threshold at this age. By P6–P7, GABA evoked only membrane hyperpolarization. The GABA_BR agonist baclofen elicited an outward current in all neurons with peak amplitudes observed by P6–P7 and abolished sciatic nerve-evoked monosynaptic glutamatergic EPSCs in all groups. The results show considerable postnatal development of inhibitory processing in the dorsal horn with GABAergic mechanisms initially dominant over glycinergic events. GABA_AR-mediated depolarizations during the first postnatal week are likely to be important for the maturation of spinal networks but do not provide a major excitatory drive to the newborn dorsal horn.

Key words: spinal cord; inhibition; baclofen; gramicidin; IPSC; patch clamp

---

Received Nov 25, 2003; revised April 2, 2004; accepted April 3, 2004.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. Li, S. M. Walker, M. Fitzgerald, and M. L. Baccei Activity-Dependent Modulation of Glutamatergic Signaling in the Developing Rat Dorsal Horn by Early Tissue Injury J Neurophysiol, October 1, 2009; 102(4): 2208 - 2219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Walsh, B. A. Graham, A. M. Brichta, and R. J. Callister Evidence for a Critical Period in the Development of Excitability and Potassium Currents in Mouse Lumbar Superficial Dorsal Horn Neurons J Neurophysiol, April 1, 2009; 101(4): 1800 - 1812. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Daniele and A. B. MacDermott Low-Threshold Primary Afferent Drive onto GABAergic Interneurons in the Superficial Dorsal Horn of the Mouse J. Neurosci., January 21, 2009; 29(3): 686 - 695. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Wang, L. Li, M. Goulding, and E. Frank Early Postnatal Development of Reciprocal Ia Inhibition in the Murine Spinal Cord J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2008; 100(1): 185 - 196. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Ingram, M. Fitzgerald, and M. L. Baccei Developmental Changes in the Fidelity and Short-Term Plasticity of GABAergic Synapses in the Neonatal Rat Dorsal Horn J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2008; 99(6): 3144 - 3150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. R. Bremner and M. Fitzgerald Postnatal tuning of cutaneous inhibitory receptive fields in the rat J. Physiol., March 15, 2008; 586(6): 1529 - 1537. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Delpy, A.-E. Allain, P. Meyrand, and P. Branchereau NKCC1 cotransporter inactivation underlies embryonic development of chloride-mediated inhibition in mouse spinal motoneuron J. Physiol., February 15, 2008; 586(4): 1059 - 1075. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Ben-Ari, J.-L. Gaiarsa, R. Tyzio, and R. Khazipov GABA: A Pioneer Transmitter That Excites Immature Neurons and Generates Primitive Oscillations Physiol Rev, October 1, 2007; 87(4): 1215 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Jean-Xavier, G. Z. Mentis, M. J. O'Donovan, D. Cattaert, and L. Vinay Dual personality of GABA/glycine-mediated depolarizations in immature spinal cord PNAS, July 3, 2007; 104(27): 11477 - 11482. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Bremner, M. Fitzgerald, and M. Baccei Functional GABAA-Receptor-Mediated Inhibition in the Neonatal Dorsal Horn J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2006; 95(6): 3893 - 3897. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Cordero-Erausquin, J. A. M. Coull, D. Boudreau, M. Rolland, and Y. D. Koninck Differential Maturation of GABA Action and Anion Reversal Potential in Spinal Lamina I Neurons: Impact of Chloride Extrusion Capacity J. Neurosci., October 19, 2005; 25(42): 9613 - 9623. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help