Heterogeneous development of voltage dependency of NMDA receptor-mediated response in central nervous system

Developmental changes of voltage dependency of NMDA response were investigated on nucleus solitarii (NTS) ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) and visual cortical neurons acutely dissociated from rats aged between 19 days in gestation (E19) and 21 days after birth (P21) using a whole cell patch clamp recording. Sensitivity of NMDA response to extracellular Mg2+ developed by P3 in the NTS, by P6 in the VMH and by P6 in the VMH and by P12 in the VMH and by P12 in the cortex, Protein kinase C modulators could not modulate the voltage dependency of NMDA response in immature neurons. These finding suggest that a regional heterogeneity of developmental change of the sensitivity of NMDA response to extracellular Mg2+ exists. This regional difference in development of NMDA response might be related to the order of vital necessities after birth.