Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv2.1

Title: Expression of NMDA channels on cerebellar Purkinje cells acutely dissociated from newborn rats.

Authors: C Rosenmund, P Legendre, G L Westbrook

Journal, date & volume: J. Neurophysiol., 1992 Nov , 68, 1901-5

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1282541

Abstract
1. Conflicting evidence exists concerning the expression and properties of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors on cerebellar Purkinje cells during development. We used whole-cell and single-channel recording to examine NMDA receptors on acutely dissociated Purkinje cells from newborn rats (postnatal day 0-4). 2. NMDA channels were present on > 80% of identified Purkinje cells and had pharmacological and single-channel properties that were indistinguishable from NMDA receptors on other neurons. In particular, responses were glycine-dependent and Mg2+ produced flickery open-channel block. 3. Our results demonstrate the transient expression of NMDA receptor/channels on Purkinje cells early in development. As NMDA receptors have been implicated in developmental plasticity in other regions of the CNS, a similar role is feasible during climbing fiber innervation of Purkinje cells.