Abstract
This study was aimed to characterize the earliest phases of synapse development in mouse retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) by recording spontaneous postsynaptic currents (PSCs). First PSCs were detected at embryonic day 17 and completely suppressed by bicuculline, demonstrating their GABAergic nature. Starting from postnatal day 3 a small fraction of RGCs had rapidly decaying, most likely glutamatergic currents. The present results suggest that functional GABAergic synapses with RGCs appear before birth and that GABAergic synaptic transmission precedes that of glutamate in the retina. In this early period GABA acts in a depolarizing manner and takes over an excitatory function.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Aging / physiology
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Animals
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Cell Differentiation / physiology*
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
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Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
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GABA Antagonists / pharmacology
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Glutamic Acid / metabolism
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Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
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Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Neural Inhibition / drug effects
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Neural Inhibition / physiology
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Neural Pathways / embryology
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Neural Pathways / growth & development
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Neural Pathways / metabolism
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Organ Culture Techniques
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Patch-Clamp Techniques
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Retina / embryology*
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Retina / growth & development*
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Retina / metabolism
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Retinal Ganglion Cells / cytology
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Retinal Ganglion Cells / metabolism*
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Synapses / metabolism*
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Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
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Synaptic Transmission / physiology
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Time Factors
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism*
Substances
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GABA Antagonists
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Glutamic Acid
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gamma-Aminobutyric Acid