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Related Experiment Videos

Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators during early human development.

E Herlenius1, H Lagercrantz

  • 1Neonatal Unit, Department of Women and Child Health, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.

Early Human Development
|August 25, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Neurotransmitters are crucial for embryonic development and neuronal circuit formation. Disruptions during prenatal development can lead to long-term behavioral changes.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Neurochemistry

Background:

  • Monoamines and neuropeptides are present in embryos before neuronal differentiation, suggesting roles beyond neurotransmission, such as in differentiation and growth.
  • Serotonin may function as a morphogen during embryogenesis.
  • Fast-acting neurotransmitters and ionotropic receptors, dominant in the adult human brain, likely evolved later in both evolutionary and developmental timelines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the roles of neurotransmitters and modulators during embryonic and fetal development.
  • To understand the functional significance of neurotransmitter systems in early life.
  • To explore the impact of developmental disruptions on neuronal wiring and long-term outcomes.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Fluorescence microscopy for catecholamine distribution.
  • Immunohistochemical methods for mapping other neurotransmitters.
  • Pharmacological antagonism to assess endogenous neurotransmitter roles.
  • Gene knockout techniques (e.g., dopamine beta-hydroxylase) to determine essentiality.
  • Analysis of receptor expression patterns (NMDA, kainate, AMPA) during development.

    • Main Results:

    • Adenosine was shown to suppress fetal respiration via pharmacological blockade.
    • Knocking out the dopamine beta-hydroxylase gene led to fetal death, highlighting noradrenaline's essential role in survival.
    • GABA exhibits a functional switch from excitatory in embryos to inhibitory postnatally, linked to chloride ion concentration changes.
    • NMDA receptors are prevalent in fetuses, with kainate and AMPA receptors emerging later.
    • A surge in neurotransmitters like catecholamines at birth is critical for neonatal adaptation.

    Conclusions:

    • Neurotransmitters and modulators are vital for both neural communication and the intricate development of neuronal circuits in embryos.
    • Prenatal and neonatal stressors, including hypoxia and drug exposure, can disrupt neural wiring, potentially causing lasting behavioral effects through fetal and neonatal programming.