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Ontogeny of behavioral sensitivity to glycine in the chick embryo
Insights
Strychnine counteracted glycine-induced motility decreases in chick embryos. However, strychnine did not affect gamma-aminobutyric acid-induced motility changes in either 6- or 7-day embryos.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Spontaneous motility in embryonic development is crucial for normal organogenesis.
- Glycine (GLY) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are inhibitory neurotransmitters.
- Strychnine (STR) is a known antagonist of glycine receptors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of strychnine, glycine, and GABA on embryonic motility.
- To determine if strychnine antagonizes the effects of glycine and GABA on motility in chick embryos.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous injections of strychnine, glycine, and GABA into 6- and 7-day chick embryos.
- Observation and recording of spontaneous motility following injections.
Main Results:
- In 7-day embryos, strychnine alone increased motility and antagonized glycine-induced motility decrements.
- In 6-day embryos, strychnine alone had no effect but antagonized glycine-induced motility decrements.
- Strychnine did not antagonize GABA-induced motility decrements in either 6- or 7-day embryos.
Conclusions:
- Strychnine's interaction with glycine receptors influences embryonic motility.
- The effect of strychnine on motility is age-dependent in chick embryos.
- Strychnine does not appear to interact with GABAergic pathways affecting embryonic motility.
Abstract:
Strychnine (STR), glycine (GLY), and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were injected intravenously into 6- and 7-day chick embryos and subsequent effects upon spontaneous motility were observed. In 7-day embryos STR alone increased motility and when injected simultaneously with GLY antagonized the GLY-induced motility decrements; STR did not antagonize GABA-induced motility decrements. In 6-day embryos STR injected alone had no effect on motility, but did antagonize motility decrements induced by the simultaneous injection of GLY; again STR did not antagonize GABA-induced motility decrements.