Micromethods for the study of GABA biochemistry and function at single GABA acceptive membranes

Three different micromethods for studying GABA biochemistry and function at single microdissected GABA-acceptive neuronal membranes are discussed. The basis for such studies is the possibility of obtaining by microdissection single Deiters' neurons from the lateral vestibular nucleus of the rat and the rabbit. From these isolated cells the plasma membrane may be prepared and studied. The first micromethod allows the study of the Na+ independent diffusion of GABA through such a plasma membrane which is postsynaptic to GABA-ergic boutons. A modification of such method allows also the study of the effects of GABA-ergic drugs on Cl- permeability. The second method allows the study by microelectrophoresis in capillaries of GABA catabolism by GABA-T associated with microdissected single Deiters' membranes. The third one was developed in order to study the characteristics of Na+ dependent GABA carrier activity present on such membranes.