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Development of synaptic transmission by cholinergic neurons in culture
Author(s) -
Puro D. G.,
Yeh H. H.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490100302
Subject(s) - excitatory postsynaptic potential , neuroscience , cholinergic , retina , neurotransmission , biology , postsynaptic potential , synapse , retinal , glutamate receptor , acetylcholine , cellular neuroscience , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , biochemistry , receptor
Abstract We examined the development of cholinergic transmission at synapses formed in culture by retinal neurons derived from the embryonic chick. In our experimental system, striated muscle cells served as postsynaptic targets for cholinergic retinal neurons. Functional retina‐muscle synapses could be formed in cultures containing either retinal explants or dissociated retinal cells. Plating a low density of dissociated cells permitted the study of relatively isolated, visually identifiable, cholinergic neurons. We found that, early in the functional maturation of retina‐muscle synapses, the release of acetylcholine occurs spontaneously, but cannot be evoked by the putative excitatory transmitter, glutamate. This stage is followed by the emergence of transmitter release that is evocable by glutamate in a receptormediated and calcium‐dependent manner. This ability to transmit excitatory information across a synapse is expressed in culture by neurons derived from retinas that are at an early stage of morphogenesis.