Electrical and pharmacological properties of the slow depolarization induced by Schaffer collateral stimulation in astrocytes of the rat hippocampal CA1 region

Neurosci Lett. 2003 Jun 5;343(2):85-8. doi: 10.1016/s0304-3940(03)00308-2.

Abstract

Intracellular recordings were made from astrocytes of the hippocampal CA1 region in rat slice preparations. A single stimulus at the Schaffer collaterals with high intensities (>/=10 V), but not low intensities (<10 V), induced a slow depolarization similar to the evoked postsynaptic potentials observed in hippocampal CA1 neurons. The slow depolarization was almost abolished in the presence of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate/kainate receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (20 microM) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (100 microM). Tetrodotoxin (0.5 microM) or Co(2+) (2 mM) also abolished this slow depolarization. The slow depolarization reversed its polarity at -8 mV in the presence of tetraethylammonium (20 mM). These results suggest that the synaptically released glutamate (Glu) induces depolarization, which is mainly mediated by ionotropic Glu receptors, in astrocytes in the hippocampal CA1 region.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / analogs & derivatives*
  • 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / pharmacology
  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione / pharmacology
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Aspartic Acid / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Astrocytes / drug effects*
  • Astrocytes / physiology
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Cobalt / pharmacology
  • Electric Stimulation / methods*
  • Electrophysiology / methods
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / drug effects
  • Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / physiology
  • Hippocampus / cytology*
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Male
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Potassium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Tetraethylammonium / pharmacology
  • Tetrodotoxin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Potassium Channel Blockers
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • 2-amino-5-phosphono-3-pentenoic acid
  • 3-hydroxyaspartic acid
  • Aspartic Acid
  • Cobalt
  • Tetrodotoxin
  • Tetraethylammonium
  • 6-Cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione
  • 2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate