Figure 3.
Reelin enhances NMDAR currents through postsynaptic mechanisms. A, B, Illustration of measurement of EPSCNMDA (also see Materials and Methods). The thick gray trace in B represents the mEPSCNMDA and was derived by subtracting the thin gray trace (averaged mEPSCAMPA) from the thick black trace (averaged compound mEPSC). C, Reelin treatment significantly increased mEPSCNMDA amplitude (closed circle, before reelin; open circle, after reelin; ***p < 0.001; n = 18; paired t test). Treatment with mock was without effect [closed square, before mock; open square, after mock; not significant (ns), p > 0.05; n = 13; paired t test]. D, No correlation of 1/CV2 ratios and mean EPSCNMDA ratios (after/before reelin) was revealed based on recordings from nine cells (r = 0.31; p = 0.4; Spearman's test). The data points distribute along the dashed horizontal line, which predicts a pure postsynaptic origin. The diagonal dashed line predicts changes derived exclusively from presynaptic mechanisms. Inset, Two sets of 15 consecutive EPSCNMDA responses before (left) and at 30–35 min after (middle) reelin application are plotted. The averages of these traces are shown in the right. mini, mEPSC. Calibration: A, 10 pA, 100 ms; D, 20 pA, 50 ms.