Abstract
Glutamate and aspartate are endogenous excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters widely distributed in the mammalian central nervous system. Aspartate was shown to induce a large membrane current sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor antagonists in Purkinje cells from mice lacking functional NMDA receptors (NR1(-/-)). This response was accompanied by high permeability to calcium. In contrast, no current was induced by aspartate in hippocampal neurons and cerebellar granule cells from NR1(-/-) mice. Several other glutamate receptor agonists failed to evoke this response. Thus, in Purkinje cells, aspartate activates a distinct response capable of contributing to synaptic plasticity through calcium permeability.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Aspartic Acid / pharmacology*
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Calcium / metabolism*
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Cerebellum / cytology
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Cerebellum / metabolism
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
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Glutamic Acid / pharmacology
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Hippocampus / cytology
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Hippocampus / metabolism
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Homocysteine / analogs & derivatives
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Homocysteine / pharmacology
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Magnesium / pharmacology
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Mice
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Mice, Knockout
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N-Methylaspartate / pharmacology
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Neuronal Plasticity
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Neurons / drug effects
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Neurons / metabolism
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Patch-Clamp Techniques
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Permeability
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Purkinje Cells / drug effects
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Purkinje Cells / metabolism*
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Receptors, Amino Acid / drug effects
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Receptors, Amino Acid / metabolism*
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / agonists
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology
Substances
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Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
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Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
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Receptors, Amino Acid
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
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aspartic acid receptor
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Homocysteine
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homocysteic acid
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Aspartic Acid
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Glutamic Acid
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N-Methylaspartate
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Magnesium
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Calcium