Taurine-evoked chloride current and its potentiation by intracellular Ca2+ in immature rat hippocampal CA1 neurons

Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the immature mammalian central nervous system. In the present study, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made to examine taurine-evoked currents ( I(Tau)) in acutely dissociated immature rat hippocampal CA1 neurons. Taurine at low concentrat...

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Published inAmino acids Vol. 24; no. 1-2; pp. 155 - 161
Main Authors Wu, Z-Y, Xu, T-L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Austria Springer Nature B.V 01.01.2003
Subjects
Animals
Calcium - physiology
Chloride Channels - physiology
Hippocampus - cytology
Hippocampus - physiology
Neurons
Neurons - physiology
Proteins
Rats
Taurine - physiology
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Summary:Taurine is one of the most abundant free amino acids in the immature mammalian central nervous system. In the present study, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made to examine taurine-evoked currents ( I(Tau)) in acutely dissociated immature rat hippocampal CA1 neurons. Taurine at low concentrations (</=1 mM) activated glycine receptors while at high concentrations (>/=3 mM) activated both glycine and GABA(A) receptors. Moreover, elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) via non-NMDA receptor activation enhanced I(Tau) reversibly. The results indicate that taurine may act as a native ligand of glycine receptors and modulate neurotransmissions in the immature hippocampus, and under certain conditions it can also activate GABA(A) receptors. The potentiation of I(Tau) by intracellular Ca(2+) may contribute to the protection effect of taurine under some cell-damaging conditions.
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ISSN:0939-4451
1438-2199
DOI:10.1007/s00726-002-0314-8