β‐Alanine and taurine as endogenous agonists at glycine receptors in rat hippocampus in vitro

• DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2001.013147
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T12:45:57Z
• Authors: Masahiro Mori; Beat H. Gähwiler; Urs Gerber
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Taurine; Pyramidal Cells; Electric Conductivity; In Vitro Techniques; Hippocampus; Rats; 03 medical and health sciences; Receptors, Glycine; Chlorides; Synapses; beta-Alanine; Animals; Rats, Wistar

Electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of glycine receptors were characterized in hippocampal organotypic slice cultures. In the presence ionotropic glutamate GABA B receptor antagonists, pressure‐application onto CA3 pyramidal cells induced a current associated with increased chloride conductance, which was inhibited by strychnine. Similar currents could also be β‐alanine or taurine. Whole‐cell responses significantly greater than CA1 dentate granule cells, while to similar among these three cell types. Although results demonstrate functional hippocampus, no evidence for their activation during synaptic stimulation found. Gabazine, selective A antagonist, totally blocked evoked IPSCs cells. Glycine is not dependent on transporter‐controlled levels extracellular glycine, as observed response sarcosine, an inhibitor transporters. contrast, application guanidinoethanesulfonic acid, uptake taurine, strychnine‐sensitive gabazine. These data indicate that modulation transporters endogenous amino acids, can regulate tonic receptors, may function maintenance inhibitory tone hippocampus.