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Transient expression of functional serotonin 5‐HT 3 receptors by glutamatergic granule cells in the early postnatal mouse cerebellum
Author(s) -
Oostland Marlies,
Sellmeijer Jim,
van Hooft Johannes A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the journal of physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.802
H-Index - 240
eISSN - 1469-7793
pISSN - 0022-3751
DOI - 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.217307
Subject(s) - serotonin , cerebellum , serotonergic , 5 ht receptor , 5 ht2a receptor , biology , neuroscience , neurotransmitter , receptor , neurotransmitter receptor , glutamatergic , granule cell , endocrinology , medicine , central nervous system , glutamate receptor , dentate gyrus , biochemistry
Non‐Technical Summary The serotonin 3 receptor is a ligand‐gated ion channel which is activated by the neurotransmitter serotonin. This receptor is present in many parts of the brain, yet there is hardly any information on its function in the cerebellum. In this study, we use transgenic mice to show that the serotonin 3 receptor is localised in the cerebellum during the first three weeks after birth. We found that during this period, the serotonin 3 receptor regulates communication between two major types of neurons in the cerebellum, the granule cells and the Purkinje cells. In the absence of this receptor during early postnatal development, synaptic transmission between those neurons is disturbed. Taken together, these findings can help us understand the way serotonin affects the function of the cerebellum, and may provide insight into pathophysiological conditions in which the serotonergic system is compromised.