Summary
L-Glutamate and L-aspartate were administered electrophoretically near spinal interneurones and Renshaw cells of pentobarbitone-anaesthetized rats. Other spinal interneurones were consistently more sensitive to L-glutamate than to L-aspartate. Renshaw cells, however, showed no consistent difference in their sensitivity to these two amino acids. The results, which are compared with those reported previously in the cat, support the hypothesis that L-glutamate could be a transmitter at spinal primary afferent terminals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Biscoe, T.J., Duggan, A.W., Lodge, D.: Antagonism between bicuculline, strychnine and picrotoxin and depressant amino acids in the rat nervous system. Comp. Gen. Pharmacol. 3, 423–433 (1972)
Curtis, D.R., Johnston, G.A.R.: Amino acid transmitters in the mammalian central nervous system. Ergebn. Physiol. 69, 97–188 (1974)
Curtis, D.R., Phillis, J.W., Watkins, J.C: The chemical excitation of spinal neurones by certain acidic amino acids. J.Physiol. (Lond.) 150, 656–682 (1960)
Curtis, D.R., Ryall, R.W.: The synaptic excitation of Renshaw cells. Exp. Brain Res. 2, 81–96 (1966)
Curtis, D.R., Watkins, J.C.: Acidic amino acids with strong excitatory actions on mammalian neurones. J.Physiol. (Lond.) 166, 1–14 (1963)
Duggan, A.W.: The differential sensitivity to L-glutamate and L-aspartate of spinal interneurones and Renshaw cells. Exp. Brain Res. 19, 522–528 (1974)
Duggan, A.W., Johnston, G.A.R.: Glutamate and related amino acids in cat, dog and rat spinal roots. Comp. Gen. Pharmacol. 1, 127–128 (1970)
Gent, J.P., Morgan, R., Wolstencroft, J.H.: Determination of the relative potency of two amino acids. Neuropharmacology 13, 441–448 (1974)
Graham, L.T., Shank, R.P., Werman, R., Aprison, M.H.: Distribution of some synaptic transmitter suspects in cat spinal cord.: glutamic acid, aspartic acid, γ-aminobutyric acid, glycine and glutamine. J. Neurochem. 14, 465–472 (1967)
McCulloch, R.M., Johnston, G.A.R., Game, C.J.A., Curtis, D.R.: The differential sensitivity of spinal interneurones and Renshaw cells to kainate and N-methyl-D-aspartate. Exp. Brain Res. 21, 515–518 (1974)
Zieglgänsberger, W., Herz, A., Teschemacher, H.: Electrophoretic release of tritium-labelled glutamic acid from micropipettes in vitro. Brain Res. 15, 298–300 (1969)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Wellcome Trust Research Training Scholar.
Animal Health Trust/Wellcome Trust Research Fellow.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Biscoe, T.J., Headley, P.M., Lodge, D. et al. The sensitivity of rat spinal interneurones and Renshaw cells to L-glutamate and L-aspartate. Exp Brain Res 26, 547–551 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238827
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238827