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Endogenous neurotransmitter activates N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors on differentiating neurons in embryonic cortex
M G Blanton1, J J Lo Turco, A R Kriegstein
1Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center, CA 94305.
Abstract:
Before synapses form in embryonic turtle cerebral cortex, an endogenous neurotransmitter activates N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) channels on neurons in the cortical plate. Throughout cortical development, these channels exhibit voltage-dependent Mg2+ blockade and are antagonized by D-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid, a selective NMDA receptor antagonist. The activation in situ of these nonsynaptic NMDA channels demonstrates a potential physiological substrate for control of early neuronal differentiation.