Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of excitatory amino acid antagonists on synaptic transmission in the ampullae of Lorenzini of the skate Raja clavata

  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

  1. 1.

    The effects of excitatory amino acid antagonists on synaptic transmission in the ampullae of Lorenzini of the skate Raja clavata were studied.

  2. 2.

    At concentrations of 10-3 to 10-6 M, l-glutamic acid diethylester (GDEE) and l-glutamic acid dimethylester (GDME) decreased the resting afferent discharge frequency as well as the electrically evoked activities and depressed the responses to application of excitatory amino acids.

  3. 3.

    d-α-Aminoadipic acid (AA) and 2-amino-4 phosphonobutyric acid (APB) had practically no effect either on resting afferent discharge or on evoked afferent activity.

  4. 4.

    2-Amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid (APV) reduced the resting afferent discharge and electrically evoked activity in the afferent fibres. APV blocked N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) induced responses at a lower concentration than those induced by aspartate.

  5. 5.

    Responses caused by NMDA were Mg2+-dependent; those to quisqualate (Q) application depended to a lesser degree on the Mg2+ concentration.

  6. 6.

    Cis-2,3-piperidinedicarboxylic acid (PDA) blocked both the resting afferent discharge and the electrically evoked activity; it also reversibly blocked the postsynaptic, amino acid-induced responses. The l-glutamate (l-GLU) response was more resistant to the blockade than the l-aspartate (l-ASP) response.

  7. 7.

    Both kynurenic acid (KEN) and γ-d-glutamylglycine (DGG) reduced the resting and evoked activities in the afferent fibres. l-ASP was more resistant to blockade by KEN than l-GLU.

  8. 8.

    These observations suggest a prominent physiological role of quisqualate-, kainate- and NMDA-preferring receptors in the ampullae of Lorenzini of Raja clavata.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AA :

d-α-Aminoadipic acid

APB :

2-Amino-4 phosphonobutyric acid

APV :

2-Amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid

DGG :

γ-d-glutamylglycine

GDEE :

l-glutamic acid diethylester

GDME :

l-glutamic acid dimethylester

l-ASP :

l-aspartate

l-GLU :

l-glutamate

KEN :

kynurenic acid

NMDA :

N-methyl-d-aspartate

PDA :

Cis-2,3-piperidinecarboxylic acid

Q :

quisqualate

References

  • Akoev GN, Andrianov GN (1981) The action of divalent ions and drugs on thermal and electrical sensitivity of the ampullae of Lorenzini. In: Szabo T, Czéh G (eds) Sensory physiology of aquatic lower vertebrates. Pergamon Press, Oxford/Akademiai Kiado, Budapest, pp 57–73 Advances in Physiological Science 31

  • Akoev GN, Andrianov GN (1989) Synaptic transmission in the mechano- and electroreceptors of the acoustico-lateral system. Progr Sensory Physiol 9:53–95

    Google Scholar 

  • Akoev GN, Andrianov GN, Sherman NO (1987) Analysis of the effects of glutamic acid diethylester on synaptic processes in the ampullae of Lorenzini of skates (in Russian). Neurophysiol (USSR) 19:132–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Akoev GN, Andrianov GN, Sherman NO (1988) Effects of some amino acid antagonists on synaptic transmission in the electroreceptors (the ampullae of Lorenzini) of skates (in Russian). Neurophysiol (USSR) 20:457–463

    Google Scholar 

  • Akoev GN, Andrianov GN, Bromm B, Szabo T (1991) Neuropharmacological analysis of synaptic transmission in the Lorenzinian ampulla of the skate Raja clavata. J Comp Physiol A 168:639–646

    Google Scholar 

  • Annoni JM, Cochran SL, Precht W (1984) Pharmacology of the vestibular hair cell-afferent fiber synapse in the frog. J Neurosci 4:2106–2116

    Google Scholar 

  • Bledsoe SC Jr, Chihal DM, Bobbin RP, Morgan DN (1983) Comparative actions of glutamate and related substances on the lateral line of Xenopus laevis. Comp Biochem Physiol 75C:199–206

    Google Scholar 

  • Bobbin RP, Bledsoe SCJR, Jenison GL (1984) Neurotransmitters of the cochlea and lateral line organs. In: Berlin CL (ed) Hearing sciences: recent advances. College Hill Press, San Diego, pp 159–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Comis SD, Leng G (1979) Action of putative neurotransmitter in the guinea pig cochlea. Exp Brain Res 36:119–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Fex J, Martin (1980) Lack of effect of D, l-aminoadipate, an excitatory amino acid antagonist, on cat auditory nerve response to sound. Neuropharmacology 19:809–811

    Google Scholar 

  • Fonnum F (1984) Glutamate: a neurotransmitter in mammalian brain. J Neurochem 42:1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster AC, Fagg GE (1984) Acidic amino acid binding sites in mammalian neuronal membranes; their characteristics and relationship to synaptic receptors. Brain Res Rev 7:103–164

    Google Scholar 

  • Haldemann S, McLennan H (1972) The antagonistic action of glutamic acid diethylester towards amino acid-induced and synaptic excitation of central neurons. Brain Res 45:393–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenison GL, Winbery S, Bobbin RP (1986) Comparative actions of quisqualate and N-methyl-d-aspartate, excitatory amino acid agonists, on guinea pig cochlear potentials. Comp Biochem Physiol 84 C:385–389

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagai T, Obara S (1985) Afferent facilitation induced by ionophoretic application of acidic amino acids in the ampullary electroreceptors of Plotosus. J Neurophysiol 53:853–867

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagai T, Obara S, Kawai N (1984) Differential blocking effects of spider toxin on synaptic and glutamate responses in the afferent synapse of the acoustico-lateralis receptors of Plotosus. Brain Res 300:183–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Okano K (1988) Two pharmacologically distinct receptors mediate two postsynaptic potential (PSP) components in the afferent synapse of the Plotosus electroreceptor. Brain Res 457:89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Okano K, Obara S (1988) Effects of bath-applied l-glutamate and related chemicals on the afferent synapse of the Plotosus electroreceptor. Brain Res 457:70–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Perkins MN, Stone TW (1982) An iontophoretic investigation of the actions of convulsant kynurenines and the interaction with the endogenous excitant quinolinic acid. Brain Res 247:184–187

    Google Scholar 

  • Soto E, Vega R (1988) Actions of excitatory amino acid agonists and antagonists on the primary afferents of the vestibular system of the axolotl (Amblystoma mexicanum). Brain Res 462:104–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Teeter JH, Bennett MVL (1981) Synaptic transmission in the ampullary electroreceptors of the transparent catfish, Kryptopterus. J Comp Physiol 142:371–377

    Google Scholar 

  • Valli F, Zucca G, Prigioni I, Botta L, Gasella C, Guth P (1985) The effect of glutamate on the frog semicircular canal. Brain Res 330:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins JC (1981) Pharmacology of excitatory amino acid receptors. In: Roberts PJ, Storm-Mathisen J, Johnston GAR (eds) Glutamate: transmitter in the central nervous system. John Wiley, Chichester pp 1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Watkins JC, Evans (1981) Excitatory amino acid transmitters. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 21:165–204

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. B. Bromm

    Present address: Institute of Physiology, University of Hamburg, W-2000, Hamburg 20, Federal Republic of Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pavlov Institute of Physiology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, 199034, Leningrad, USSR

    G. N. Akoev & G. N. Andrianov

  2. Dept. Neurophysiologie Sensorielle, Laboratoire de Physiologie Nerveuse, C.N.R.S., F-91198, Gif sur Yvette Cedex, France

    T. Szabo

Authors
  1. G. N. Akoev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. N. Andrianov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B. Bromm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Szabo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Akoev, G.N., Andrianov, G.N., Bromm, B. et al. Effects of excitatory amino acid antagonists on synaptic transmission in the ampullae of Lorenzini of the skate Raja clavata . J Comp Physiol A 168, 647–652 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224355

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224355

Key words

Search

Navigation