Open AccessPostnatal development of the GABA system in the rat spinal cord.
Author(s) -
Kenichi Saitô,
Masayoshi Goto,
Hideomi Fukuda
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
japanese journal of pharmacology/japanese journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1347-3506
pISSN - 0021-5198
DOI - 10.1254/jjp.32.1
Subject(s) - muscimol , spinal cord , dorsum , endocrinology , medicine , central nervous system , cord , biology , anatomy , chemistry , neuroscience , gabaa receptor , receptor , surgery
To assess the postnatal development of the GABA system in the rat spinal cord, GABA levels and GAD activity, as well as specific [3H]-muscimol binding, were determined in the dorsal and ventral areas. GABA levels and GAD activities did not vary in parallel from 1 to 8 postnatal days since the former decreased and the latter increased. After 8 days, however, increases in GABA levels and GAD activities were observed in tissues from the dorsal area and decreases were observed in tissues from the ventral area. Specific [3H]muscimol binding was unexpectedly high in both areas at 1 and 8 days but decreased linearly up to 22 days. Our findings show that there are distinct differences in the development of the GABA system in the rat spinal cord and brain.