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J Physiol Volume 586, Number 5, 1365-1378, March 1, 2008 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2008.149963
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NEUROSCIENCE

Functional {alpha}7-containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors localize to cell bodies and proximal dendrites in the rat substantia nigra pars reticulata

 Olga V. Poisik1, Jian-xin Shen1, Susan Jones2 and Jerrel L. Yakel1

1 Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, PO Box 12233, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
2 Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

The substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) is the primary output nucleus for the basal ganglia (BG) in the rat. The SNr is reciprocally connected with the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPN) in the brainstem, which provides cholinergic innervation to most BG nuclei. The cholinergic input into the BG is considered to be important because PPN activity is altered in Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurological disorder involving the BG, and cholinergic pharmacotherapy is beneficial in alleviating some of its symptoms. In order to better understand the role of cholinergic input to the BG, we examined the effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation in the GABAergic neurons in slices through juvenile rat SNr. With the aide of subtype selective antagonists, we found that SNr neurons express the {alpha}7 subtype of nAChRs, the function of which we assessed using the whole cell patch-clamp recording technique. Besides {alpha}7 nAChRs, GABAergic SNr neurons also contained functional non-{alpha}7 nAChRs. Using local photolysis of caged carbachol, a broad-spectrum cholinergic agonist, we mapped {alpha}7 nAChR-mediated currents along the visible extent of filled SNr neurons and found that {alpha}7 nAChRs can be functionally detected as far as 60 µm away from the soma. Our data are paving the way to a better understanding of the physiological roles of nAChRs in the BG.

(Received 14 December 2007; accepted after revision 10 January 2008; first published online 17 January 2008)
Corresponding author J. L. Yakel: NIEHS, F2–08, PO Box 12233, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. Email: yakel{at}niehs.nih.gov






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