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At least 1,369 records · Page 76Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

A comparison of non-NMDA receptor channels in type-2 astrocytes and granule cells from rat cerebellum.

1. Patch-clamp recording methods have been used to compare the pharmacological properties and single-channel characteristics of non-NMDA receptor channels in cerebellar type-2 astrocytes and granule cells. 2. In type-2 astrocytes whole-cell concentration-response curves for glutamate, quisqualate, AMPA and kainate gave EC50 values of 5.8, 3.8, 7.6 and 160 microM and Hill slopes of 1.65, 1.18, 1.64 and 1.65, respectively, resembling estimates for granule cell receptors. 3. The non-NMDA receptor antagonists CNQX and diCl-HQC (see Methods) inhibited whole-cell kainate currents in both cell types. The IC50 for CNQX antagonism of the kainate response was 536 nM in type-2 astrocytes, and 500 nM in granule cells. The IC50 for diCl-HQC was 3.5 microM in astrocytes and 3.7 microM in granule cells. 4. CNQX acted as a competitive antagonist of whole-cell kainate responses in type-2 astrocytes and granule cells giving Schild plots with a slope near 1. The equilibrium constant, K, for CNQX binding was 524 nM in astrocytes and 489 nM in granule cells. 5. Quisqualate and AMPA responses showed rapid desensitization in type-2 astrocytes with a ratio of steady-state to peak response of 0.09. Concanavalin A reduced this desensitization. 6. Non-NMDA channels in type-2 astrocytes and granule cells showed a low permeability to Ca2+ ions with a reversal potential, for kainate-activated whole-cell currents in isotonic Ca2+, of approximately -25 mV for astrocytes and -45 mV for granule cells. 7. Outside-out patches from type-2 astrocytes exhibited a range of single-channel conductances that were superficially similar to the glutamate-activated conductances in granule cells. However, the type-2 astrocytes were devoid of NMDA receptors, hence all of these conductances originated from non-NMDA channels. Their slope conductances were approximately 11, 21, 32, 42 and 52 pS. Amplitudes were verified with mean low-variance plots and single-channel current-voltage curves, which were linear. 8. There was also evidence of lower conductance kainate-activated channels in astrocyte patches. From noise analysis their estimated mean conductance was 1.9 pS, as described for the 'low-conductance' type kainate responses in cerebellar neurones. 9. Apparent open times, shut times and burst lengths of AMPA-activated (3-10 microM) channels were examined in patches from type-2 astrocytes, and kinetic properties of the 40 and 50 pS levels were compared with the lower levels. 10. Our results indicate some marked pharmacological similarities between non-NMDA receptor channels in type-2 astrocytes and granule cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione↗
PubMed1995

Whole-cell and single-channel currents activated by GABA and glycine in granule cells of the rat cerebellum.

1. Patch-clamp methods have been used to characterize GABA-and glycine-activated channels and spontaneous synaptic currents in granule cells in thin cerebellar slices from 7- to 20-day-old rats. 2. All granule cells responded to 10 microM GABA, while approximately 60% responded to 100 microM glycine. With repeated against application, whole-cell responses to GABA, but not those to glycine, declined over a period of minutes unless the pipette solution contained Mg-ATP. 3. Whole-cell concentration-response curves gave EC50 values at 45.2 and 99.6 microM and Hill slopes of 0.94 and 2.6 for GABA and glycine, respectively. At saturating concentrations, currents evoked by GABA were fivefold larger than those evoked by glycine. 4. Whole-cell current-voltage (I-V) relationships of GABA- and glycine-activated currents reversed close to the predicted Cl- equilibrium potential. Partial replacement of intracellular Cl- with F- shifted the GABA reversal potential to a more negative value. 'Instantaneous' I-V relationships produced by ionophoretic application of GABA were linear, while 'steady-state' I-V relationships produced by ramp changes in potential showed outward rectification. For glycine, 'steady-state' I-V plots were linear. 5. Responses to GABA were blocked by the GABAA receptor antagonists bicuculline (15 microM), SR-95531 (10 microM) and picrotoxinin (100 microM) while responses to glycine were selectively blocked by strychnine (200 nM), indicating the presence of two separate receptor types. 6. In outside-out membrane patches, GABA opened channels with conductances of 16 and 28 pS. The proportion of openings to each of the conductances varied between patches, possibly indicating the activation of two distinct channel types. Glycine-activated single-channel currents had conductances of 32, 55 and 104 pS. Single-channel I-V relationships were linear. 7. Spontaneous synaptic currents with a rapid rise time and biexponential decay were present in more than half of the cells examined. These currents were eliminated by bicuculline (15 microM) or SR-95331 (10 microM) and were greatly reduced in frequency by tetrodotoxin (TTX; 300 nM), suggesting that they were mediated by GABA and arose from spontaneous activity in Golgi interneurones. In granule cells where this spontaneous synaptic activity was apparent, glycine and low concentrations of GABA increased the frequency of the synaptic currents.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Intracellular spermine confers rectification on rat calcium-permeable AMPA and kainate receptors.

1. Whole-cell recordings were made from cerebellar granule cells cultured in high-K+ medium to induce expression of Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA receptors. Current-voltage (I-V) plots of agonist-evoked responses showed varying degrees of inward rectification, but became linear within 5-10 min. 2. Recombinant Ca(2+)-permeable kainate receptors, composed of GluR6(Q)/KA-2 subunits, exhibited rectifying whole-cell I-V plots that became linear in outside-out patches. 3. Loss of rectification in granule cells was prevented by including 100 microM spermine in the pipette; the degree of rectification was then correlated with Ca2+ permeability. 4. Spermine also prevented loss of rectification in patches containing GluR6(Q)/KA-2 receptors (IC50, 1.7 microM). 5. We suggest that spermine, or a similar cellular constituent, may act as a cytoplasmic factor conferring inward rectification on Ca(2+)-permeable non-NMDA receptors, and that 'washout' of this factor underlies the observed loss of rectification.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of RNA editing and subunit co-assembly single-channel properties of recombinant kainate receptors.

1. Patch-clamp methods have been used to examine single-channel properties of recombinant GluR5 and GluR6 kainate-preferring glutamate receptors which differ in a single amino acid residue as a result of RNA editing at the Q/R (glutamine/arginine) site. Subunits were expressed alone or in combination with the high-affinity kainate receptor subunit KA - 2 in transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells. 2. In outside-out patches, unedited homomeric GluR6(Q) receptors exhibited directly resolved domoate-activated single-channel conductances of 8, 15 and 25 pS. Variance analysis of GluR6(Q) responses gave a mean conductance of 5.4 pS, while the edited isoform GluR6(R) had an unusually low channel conductance (225 fS). 3. Homomeric channels composed of GluR5(Q) subunits exhibited three conductance states of 5, 9 and 14 pS characterized by prolonged burst activations in the presence of domoate. In contrast, the GluR5(R) subunit, which has not previously been reported to form functional homomeric receptors, had an extremely low conductance (< 200 fS). 4. Heteromeric GluR6(Q)/KA-2 kainate receptors gave single-channel events indistinguishible from homomeric GluR6(Q) channels. Conversely, openings produced by GluR5(Q)KA-2 and GluR5(Q) receptors differed from each other in their kinetic properties. The primary effect of co-expression of KA-2 with GluR5(Q) was a dramatic shortening in channel burst length. 5. Spectral and variance analyses were used to estimate mean single-channel conductances of heteromeric edited receptor-channels; channel conductances were 950 fS for GluR5(R)KA-2 receptors and 700 fS for GluR6(R)/KA-2 receptors. Both receptor types had significantly higher conductances than the respective homomeric channels, GluR5(R) and GluR6(R). 6. We conclude that Q/R site editing dramatically reduces single-channel conductance. Furthermore, we find similarity between the kainate receptor-channels described in sensory neurones and the recombinant GluR5(Q) homomeric channel. Characterization of recombinant single-channel properties could therefore aid identification of the native kainate receptors.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1996

Deactivation and desensitization of non-NMDA receptors in patches and the time course of EPSCs in rat cerebellar granule cells.

1. Spontaneous and evoked non-NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs were recorded from cerebellar granule cells in slices at approximately 24 and approximately 34 degrees C. The EPSC decay was fitted with the sum of two exponential functions. 2. The time courses of non-NMDA receptor deactivation and desensitization were determined with fast concentration jumps of glutamate onto patches from cultured granule cells. Deactivation (decay time constant tau = 0.6 ms at 24 degrees C) was substantially faster than desensitization (tau = 4 ms). Both processes were fitted by single exponential functions. 3. The decay of the fast component of the spontaneous EPSC (tau EPSCfast = 0.9 ms at 23 degrees C) was marginally slower than deactivation but too fast to be determined by desensitization. Our results suggest that the decay of this component is set by both the rate of decline of transmitter concentration and channel deactivation. 4. A simple diffusion model predicts that the time course of transmitter in the cleft declines slowly during the later stages of its action. The slow phase of transmitter removal could account for the time course of the slow component of the spontaneous EPSC (tau EPSCslow = 8 ms at 23 degrees C).

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Non-NMDA glutamate receptor occupancy and open probability at a rat cerebellar synapse with single and multiple release sites.

1. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded under whole-cell voltage clamp from granule cells in slices of rat cerebellum. EPSCs from individual mossy fibre inputs were identified by their all-or-none appearance in response to a graded stimulus. Excitatory synaptic transmission was investigated at room temperature (approximately 24 degrees C) and at near-physiological temperature (approximately 34 degrees C) by analysing current fluctuations in the peak and decay of the non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) component of EPSCs. 2. In a subset of synapses the mean EPSC amplitude remained unchanged as the probability of transmitter release was substantially lowered by raising the extracellular [Mg2+] and lowering [Ca2+]. These synapses were considered to have only one functional release site. Single-site synapses had small EPSCs (139 +/- 16 pS, n = 5, at 24 degrees C) with a large coefficient of variation (c.v. = 0.23 +/- 0.02, n = 5) and an amplitude distribution that was well fitted by a Gaussian distribution in four out of five cases. The EPSC latency had a unimodal distribution and its standard deviation had a temperature dependence with a temperature coefficient (Q10; range, 24-35 degrees C) of 2.4 +/- 0.4 (n = 4). 3. Peak-scaled non-stationary fluctuation analysis of single-site EPSCs indicated that the mean conductance of the underlying non-NMDA channels was 12 +/- 2 pS (n = 4) at 35 degrees C. Upper and lower limits for mean channel open probability (Po), calculated from fluctuations in the EPSC peak amplitude, were 0.51 and 0.38, respectively. These estimates, together with the open probability of the channel when bound by transmitter, suggest that only about 50% of the non-NMDA channels were occupied following the release of a quantum of transmitter. 4. At some multi-site synapses EPSCs had a low c.v. (0.4 +/- 0.01, n = 5) at 34 degrees C and non-stationary fluctuation analysis gave a parabolic variance-mean current relationship. This suggests that practically all of the non-NMDA receptors were occupied by glutamate at the peak of EPSC. The channel open probability (Po = 0.84 +/- 0.03, n = 5) at these 'saturated' multi-site synapses will therefore equal the open probability of the channel when bound by transmitter (Po,max). 5. Non-stationary fluctuation analysis of EPSCs from 'saturating' multi-site synapses indicated that 170 +/- 40 postsynaptic non-NMDA channels were exposed to transmitter at the peak of the EPSC. The mean conductance of the synaptic channels was 10 +/- 2 pS (n = 5) at 34 degrees C. 6. At synapses with multiple release sites the EPSC decay time became faster when release probability was lowered (by reducing the external [Ca2+]/[Mg2+] ratio), indicating that the transmitter concentration profile depended on release probability. No such speeding of the EPSC decay was observed at single-site synapses. 7. Our results suggest that release of a packet of transmitter from a single release site does not saturate postsynaptic non-NMDA receptors at cerebellar mossy fibre-granule cell synapses. However, at multi-site synapses transmitter released from neighbouring sites can overlap, changing the transmitter concentration profile in the synaptic cleft. We conclude that the level of postsynaptic receptor occupancy can depend on the probability of transmitter release at individual multi-site synapses.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Identification of a native low-conductance NMDA channel with reduced sensitivity to Mg2+ in rat central neurones.

1. We have identified a new type of NMDA channel in rat central neurones that express mRNA for the NR2D subunit. We have examined single NMDA channels in cerebellar Purkinje cells (which possess NR1 and 2D), deep cerebellar nuclei (NR1, 2A, 2B and 2D) and spinal cord dorsal horn neurones (NR1, 2B and 2D). 2. In Purkinje cells, NMDA opened channels with a main conductance of 37.9 +/- 1.1 pS and a subconductance of 17.8 +/- 0.7 pS, with frequent transitions between the two levels. 3. NMDA activated low-conductance ('38/18 pS') events (along with high-conductance--'50/40 pS'--openings) in some patches from deep cerebellar nuclei and dorsal horn neurones. Our evidence suggests that 38/18 pS and 50/40 pS events arose from distinct types of NMDA receptors. 4. The transitions for 38/18 pS events were asymmetrical: steps from 38 to 18 pS were more frequent (72.2%) than steps from 18 to 38 pS. This feature appeared common to the 38/18 pS events in all three cell types, suggesting similarity in the low-conductance channels. 5. The 38/18 pS channels in Purkinje cells exhibited characteristic NMDA receptor properties, including requirement for glycine, antagonism by D-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5) and 7-chlorokynurenic acid, and voltage-dependent block by extracellular Mg2+. 6. The mean open time for the 38 pS state (0.74 +/- 0.07 ms) was significantly briefer than that for the 18 pS state (1.27 +/- 0.18 ms). 7. Mg2+ block of low-conductance NMDA channels in Purkinje cells was less marked than block of 50/40 pS channels in cerebellar granule cells. 8. The time course of appearance of 38/18 pS NMDA channels matched the expression of mRNA for the NR2D subunit. Thus 38/18 pS events were present in > 70% of Purkinje cell patches in 0- to 8-day-old animals, and absent by postnatal day 12. 9. We propose that the 38/18 pS NMDA channels identified here (associated with the NR2D subunit), and the other low-conductance NMDA channel associated with the NR2C subunit, may together constitute a functionally distinct subclass of native NMDA receptors.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗
PubMed1996

Development of a tonic form of synaptic inhibition in rat cerebellar granule cells resulting from persistent activation of GABAA receptors.

1. To investigate the origin and functional significance of a recently described tonic GABAA receptor-mediated conductance in cerebellar granule cells we have made recordings from cells in cerebellar slices from rats of different ages (postnatal days P4 to P28). 2. During development there was a dramatic change in the properties of GABA-mediated synaptic transmission. The contribution to GABAA receptor-mediated charge transfer from the tonic conductance (GGABA), relative to that resulting from discrete spontaneous postsynaptic currents (sPSCs), was increased from 5% at P7 to 99% at P21. GGABA was reduced by bicuculline, tetrodotoxin and by lowering extracellular Ca2+, and was initially present only in those cells which exhibited sPSCs. 3. At P7 sPSCs were depolarizing, occasionally triggering a single action potential. By P18 the GABA reversal potential was shifted close to the resting potential and GGABA produced a shunting inhibition. Removal of GGABA by bicuculline increased granule cell excitability in response to current injection. 4. This novel tonic inhibition is present despite the low number of Golgi cell synapses on individual granule cells and appears to result from 'overspill' of synaptically released GABA leading to activation of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors.

Aging↗
PubMed2003

The density of AMPA receptors activated by a transmitter quantum at the climbing fibre-Purkinje cell synapse in immature rats.

We aimed to estimate the number of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) bound by the quantal transmitter packet, their single-channel conductance and their density in the postsynaptic membrane at cerebellar Purkinje cell synapses. The synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPARs were examined in Purkinje cells in 2- to 4-day-old rats, when they receive synaptic inputs solely from climbing fibres (CFs). Evoked CF EPSCs and whole-cell AMPA currents displayed roughly linear current-voltage relationships, consistent with the presence of GluR2 subunits in synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPARs. The mean quantal size, estimated from the miniature EPSCs (MEPSCs), was approximately 300 pS. Peak-scaled non-stationary fluctuation analysis of spontaneous EPSCs and MEPSCs gave a weighted-mean synaptic channel conductance of approximately 5 pS (approximately 7 pS when corrected for filtering). By applying non-stationary fluctuation analysis to extrasynaptic currents activated by brief glutamate pulses (5 mM), we also obtained a small single-channel conductance estimate for extrasynaptic AMPARs (approximately 11 pS). This approach allowed us to obtain a maximum open probability (Po,max) value for the extrasynaptic receptors (Po,max = 0.72). Directly resolved extrasynaptic channel openings in the continued presence of glutamate exhibited clear multiple-conductance levels. The mean area of the postsynaptic density (PSD) of these synapses was 0.074 microm2, measured by reconstructing electron-microscopic (EM) serial sections. Postembedding immunogold labelling by anti-GluR2/3 antibody revealed that AMPARs are localised in PSDs. From these data and by simulating error factors, we estimate that at least 66 AMPARs are bound by a quantal transmitter packet at CF-Purkinje cell synapses, and the receptors are packed at a minimum density of approximately 900 microm-2 in the postsynaptic membrane.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Influence of agonist concentration on AMPA and kainate channels in CA1 pyramidal cells in rat hippocampal slices.

We have determined the functional properties of single AMPA receptor (AMPAR) and kainate receptor channels present in CA1 cells in hippocampal slices, to shed light on the relationship between single-channel behaviour and synaptic currents in these cells. To derive basic properties of AMPA and kainate channels activated by their excitatory transmitter, we examined outside-out patches exposed to glutamate. The kainate agonist SYM 2081, was used to confirm the presence of kainate receptors. Channels activated by glutamate or SYM 2081 exhibited conductance levels of 2-20 pS. Properties of single channels depended on the glutamate or AMPA concentration used. We observed a marked increase in mean channel conductance (gamma) from gamma = 6.9, to 11.2 pS, when glutamate was increased from 10 mum to 10 mm. The kinetic behaviour of AMPAR channels was also influenced by agonist concentration, with an increase in 'bursty' events at higher concentrations. In contrast, kainate channels were characterized by brief openings without bursts. Consistent with the view that 'bursty' events arose from AMPARs, these openings decreased in the presence of the AMPAR blocker GYKI 53655. Furthermore, our experiments revealed a concentration-dependent increase in the number of conductance states during an individual AMPAR opening; AMPAR channels displayed up to four distinct levels. Our results are consistent with the view that the AMPAR channel conductance depends on the number of transmitter molecules bound in CA1 cells. We consider the implications of these findings for the change in EPSC properties during long-term potentiation (LTP).

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Time-reversal processing for an acoustic communications experiment in a highly reverberant environment.

Time-reversal (T/R) communications is a new application area motivated by the recent advances in T/R theory. Although perceived by many in signal processing as simply an application of matched-filter theory, a T/R receiver offers an interesting solution to the communications problem for a reverberant channel. In this paper, the performance of various realizations of the T/R receiver for an acoustic communications experiment in air is described along with its associated processing. The experiment is developed to evaluate the performance of point-to-point T/R receivers designed to extract a transmitted information sequence propagating in a highly reverberant environment. It is demonstrated that T/R receivers are capable of extracting the transmitted coded sequence from noisy microphone sensor measurements with zero-symbol error. The processing required to validate these experimental results is discussed. These results are also compared with those produced by an equivalent linear equalizer or inverse filter, which provides the optimal solution when it incorporates all of the reverberations.

Acoustics↗
PubMed2005

Multichannel time-reversal processing for acoustic communications in a highly reverberant environment.

The development of time-reversal (T/R) communication systems is a recent signal processing research area dominated by applying T/R techniques to communicate in hostile environments. The fundamental concept is based on time-reversing the impulse response or Green's function characterizing the uncertain communications channel to mitigate deleterious dispersion and multipath effects. In this paper, we extend point-to-point to array-to-point communications by first establishing the basic theory to define and solve the underlying multichannel communications problem and then developing various realizations of the resulting T/R receivers. We show that not only do these receivers perform well in a hostile environment, but they also can be implemented with a "1 bit" analog-to-digital converter design structure. We validate these results by performing proof-of-principle acoustic communications experiments in air. It is shown that the resulting T/R receivers are capable of extracting the transmitted coded sequence from noisy microphone array measurements with zero-bit error.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1995

Classification of prosthetic heart valve sounds: a parametric approach.

People with heart problems have had their lives extended considerably with the development of the prosthetic heart valve. Great strides have been made in the development of the valves through the use of improved materials as well as efficient mechanical designs. However, since the valves operate continuously over a long period, structural failures can occur--even though they are relatively uncommon. Here the development of techniques to classify the valve either as having intact struts or as having a separated strut, commonly called single leg separation, is discussed. In this paper the signal processing techniques employed to extract the required signals/parameters are briefly reviewed and then it is shown how they can be used to simulate a synthetic heart valve database for eventual Monte Carlo testing. Next, the optimal classifier is developed under assumed conditions and its performance is compared to that of an adaptive-type classifier implemented with a probabilistic neural network. Finally, the adaptive classifier is applied to a data set and its performance is analyzed. Based on synthetic data it is shown that excellent performance of the classifiers can be achieved implying a potentially robust solution to this classification problem.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1995

Processing of prosthetic heart valve sounds for single leg separation classification.

People with serious heart conditions have had their expected life span extended considerably with the development of the prosthetic heart valve especially with the great strides made in valve design. Even though the designs are extremely reliable, the valves are mechanical and operating continuously over a long period; therefore structural failures can occur due to fatigue. In this paper acoustical signal processing techniques developed to process noisy heart valve sounds measured by a sensitive, surface contact microphone are discussed. Measuring heart sounds noninvasively in a noisy environment puts more demands on the signal processing to extract the desired signals from the noise. Heart valve sounds are short-duration (10-20 ms) transients and therefore nonstationary, requiring more sophisticated processing algorithms to achieve the desired signal-to-noise ratios. In this paper the preclassification signal processing is concentrated on exclusively. That is, the signal processing operations performed on the heart valve sounds prior to classification are discussed--a subject that will be developed in a future paper. Efforts are concentrated on the sounds corresponding to the heart valve opening cycle. Valve opening and closing acoustics present additional information about the outlet strut condition--the structural component implicated in valve failure. The importance of the opening sound for single leg separation detection/classification is based on the fact that as the valve opens, the disk passively hits the outlet strut. The opening sounds thus yield direct information about outlet strut condition with minimal amount of disturbance caused by the energy radiated from the disk. Hence the opening sound is a very desirable acoustic signal to extract. Unfortunately, the opening sounds have much lower signal levels relative to the closing sounds and therefore noise plays a more significant role than during the closing event. Because of this it is necessary to screen the sounds for outliers in order to insure a high sensitivity of classification. Because of the sharp resonances appearing in the corresponding spectrum, a parametric processing approach is developed based on an autoregressive model which was selected to characterize the sounds emitted by the Bjork-Shiley convexo-concave (BSCC) valve during opening cycle. First the basic signals and the extraction process used to create an ensemble of heart valve sounds are briefly discussed. Next, a beat monitor capable of rejecting beats that fail to meet an acceptance criteria based on their spectral content is developed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Acoustics↗
PubMed2004

Defective telomere lagging strand synthesis in cells lacking WRN helicase activity.

Cells from Werner syndrome patients are characterized by slow growth rates, premature senescence, accelerated telomere shortening rates, and genome instability. The syndrome is caused by the loss of the RecQ helicase WRN, but the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. Here we report that cells lacking WRN exhibit deletion of telomeres from single sister chromatids. Only telomeres replicated by lagging strand synthesis were affected, and prevention of loss of individual telomeres was dependent on the helicase activity of WRN. Telomere loss could be counteracted by telomerase activity. We propose that WRN is necessary for efficient replication of G-rich telomeric DNA, preventing telomere dysfunction and consequent genomic instability.

Alleles↗
PubMed2004

Role of distinct NMDA receptor subtypes at central synapses.

Most excitatory synapses in the brain use the neurotransmitter glutamate to carry impulses between neurons. During fast transmission, glutamate usually activates a mixture of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors in the postsynaptic cell. Experimental scrutiny of NMDARs provides insight into their involvement in excitatory synaptic transmission and related processes such as as synaptic plasticity, neural development, and pain perception. There is increasing awareness that subtle variation in NMDAR properties is imparted by specific receptor subunits, and recent studies have started to provide perspective into some of the discrete tasks carried out by individual receptor subtypes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

In vitro adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to human intestinal epithelial cells from mucosal biopsies.

An adhesion assay with isolated human enterocytes prepared from duodenal biopsies has been developed and tested by using human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli expressing colonization factor antigens I and II (CFA/I and CFA/II) and type 1 fimbriae. Enterotoxigenic E. coli strains H10407 (CFA/I) and B2C (CFA/II) bound to duodenal enterocytes to a much greater extent (mean of 4.6 and 4.0 bacteria per brush border) than did strain H10407P, a CFA/I- mutant of H10407 (mean of 0.1 bacteria per brush border). Type 1 fimbriae also promoted adhesion of strain H10407P to duodenal enterocytes but attachment was to basolateral rather than brush border surfaces. CFA/I and CFA/II, on the other hand, promoted adhesion only to human enterocyte brush borders.

Adult↗