HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 550/3/785    most recent 2003.042572v1 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, D. D. Articles by Bordey, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, D. D. Articles by Bordey, A.

GABA depolarizes neuronal progenitors of the postnatal subventricular zone via GABA_A receptor activation

D. D. Wang *, D. D. Krueger † and A. Bordey *†

Previous studies have reported the presence of migrating and dividing neuronal progenitors in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and rostral migratory stream (RMS) of the postnatal mammalian brain. Although the behaviour of these progenitors is thought to be influenced by local signals, the nature and mode of action of the local signals are largely unknown. One of the signalling molecules known to affect the behaviour of embryonic neurons is the neurotransmitter GABA. In order to determine whether GABA affects neuronal progenitors via the activation of specific receptors, we performed cell-attached, whole-cell and gramicidin perforated patch-clamp recordings of progenitors in postnatal mouse brain slices containing either the SVZ or the RMS. Recorded cells displayed a morphology typical of migrating neuronal progenitors had depolarized zero-current resting potentials, and lacked action potentials. A subset of progenitors contained GABA and stained positive for glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD-67) as shown by immunohistochemistry. In addition, every neuronal progenitor responded to GABA via picrotoxin-sensitive GABA_A receptor (GABA_AR) activation. GABA_ARs displayed an ATP-dependent rundown and a low sensitivity to Zn²⁺. GABA responses were sensitive to benzodiazepine agonists, an inverse agonist, as well as a barbiturate agonist. While GABA was hyperpolarizing at the zero-current resting potentials, it was depolarizing at the cell resting potentials estimated from the reversal potential of K⁺ currents through a cell-attached patch. Thus, our study demonstrates that neuronal progenitors of the SVZ/RMS contain GABA and are depolarized by GABA, which may constitute the basis for a paracrine signal among neuronal progenitors to dynamically regulate their proliferation and/or migration.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J.-C. Platel, K. A. Dave, and A. Bordey Control of neuroblast production and migration by converging GABA and glutamate signals in the postnatal forebrain J. Physiol., August 15, 2008; 586(16): 3739 - 3743. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.-C. Platel, T. Heintz, S. Young, V. Gordon, and A. Bordey Tonic activation of GLUK5 kainate receptors decreases neuroblast migration in whole-mounts of the subventricular zone J. Physiol., August 15, 2008; 586(16): 3783 - 3793. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T.-F. Yuan GABA Effects on Neurogenesis: An Arsenal of Regulation Sci. Signal., April 15, 2008; 1(15): jc1 - jc1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Ben-Ari, J.-L. Gaiarsa, R. Tyzio, and R. Khazipov GABA: A Pioneer Transmitter That Excites Immature Neurons and Generates Primitive Oscillations Physiol Rev, October 1, 2007; 87(4): 1215 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.-B. Manent and A. Represa Neurotransmitters and Brain Maturation: Early Paracrine Actions of GABA and Glutamate Modulate Neuronal Migration Neuroscientist, June 1, 2007; 13(3): 268 - 279. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. E. Ippolito, M. E. Merritt, F. Backhed, K. L. Moulder, S. Mennerick, J. K. Manchester, S. T. Gammon, D. Piwnica-Worms, and J. I. Gordon Linkage between cellular communications, energy utilization, and proliferation in metastatic neuroendocrine cancers PNAS, August 15, 2006; 103(33): 12505 - 12510. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. W Newell and L. C Schlichter Integration of K+ and Cl- currents regulate steady-state and dynamic membrane potentials in cultured rat microglia J. Physiol., September 15, 2005; 567(3): 869 - 890. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. E. Ippolito, J. Xu, S. Jain, K. Moulder, S. Mennerick, J. R. Crowley, R. R. Townsend, and J. I. Gordon An integrated functional genomics and metabolomics approach for defining poor prognosis in human neuroendocrine cancers PNAS, July 12, 2005; 102(28): 9901 - 9906. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R Chittajallu, A Aguirre, and V Gallo NG2-positive cells in the mouse white and grey matter display distinct physiological properties J. Physiol., November 15, 2004; 561(1): 109 - 122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Bolteus and A. Bordey GABA Release and Uptake Regulate Neuronal Precursor Migration in the Postnatal Subventricular Zone J. Neurosci., September 1, 2004; 24(35): 7623 - 7631. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]