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Spinal Cord Electrophysiology
Published on: January 19, 2010
Ionotropic glutamate receptor expression in human spinal cord during first trimester development
E Akesson1, A Kjaeldgaard, E B Samuelsson
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Occupational Therapy and Elderly Care Research, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, S-141 86, Huddinge, Sweden.
Brain Research. Developmental Brain Research
|January 29, 2000
Summary
AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors are present in the early human spinal cord. Their expression and distribution change throughout the first trimester, indicating early functional development of the central nervous system.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Neurochemistry
Background:
- The human spinal cord undergoes complex development during embryogenesis.
- Understanding the early expression of neurotransmitter receptors is crucial for comprehending neural circuit formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression and distribution of AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors in the first-trimester human spinal cord.
- To determine the developmental timeline of these receptors during early embryogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative receptor autoradiography using [3H]AMPA, [3H]kainate, and [3H]MK-801 ligands.
- Immunoblotting to detect NMDA receptor subunits (NR1, NR2A-D).
- Analysis of spinal cord tissue from 4 to 11.5 weeks of gestational age, comparing dorsal and ventral regions.
Main Results:
- AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptor binding sites were detected as early as 4-5.5 weeks of gestation.
- Receptor binding increased throughout the first trimester in both dorsal and ventral spinal cord regions.
- A shift in AMPA receptor distribution was observed, with higher density in the dorsal horn by 11 weeks.
- NMDA receptor subunits were identified via immunoblotting between 4.5 and 7 weeks, with increasing concentrations.
Conclusions:
- AMPA, kainate, and NMDA receptors are expressed early in human spinal cord development.
- These receptors show dynamic changes in expression levels and distribution during the first trimester.
- The findings suggest the early establishment of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the developing human spinal cord.
