峡视核——研究中枢神经系统发育及细胞凋亡的新模型

鸟类离中系统的峡视核是近年来研究中枢神经系统发育过程中细胞凋亡的新模型.在其发育过程中,随着核团的形成、折叠及分层,伴有一些与峡视核相关的临时神经通路的形成和消失,与此同时,该核团中神经元有一半以上发生细胞凋亡.研究表明,形成正确的传入和传出联系对神经元的存活十分重要.分子水平上的机制研究揭示,细胞凋亡与一系列神经营养因子及其相应的受体相关.细胞凋亡对中枢神经系统发育过程中正确神经通路的形成有重要意义.     

γ-氨基丁酸及其GABAA受体参与家鸽顶盖前核神经元方向选择性的形成

研究了-氨基丁酸(GABA)及其拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱和2-hydroxysaclofen对家鸽中脑扁豆核神经元视觉反应的影响. 结果指出, GABA能明显减小扁豆核神经元的自发活动和视觉反应, 其GABAA拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱则能增强视觉反应, 并可消除无效方向上的抑制性反应, 但GABAB拮抗剂2-hydroxysaclofen对视觉反应和抑制反应均无效. 由此可见, 家鸽中脑扁豆核方向敏感神经元无效方向上的抑制主要由GABA和GABAA受体介导. 这种抑制作用至少部分是视动震颤方向不对称性的基础.     

Gamma-aminobutyric acid and GABA_A receptors are involved in directional selectivity of pretectal neurons in pigeons

The present study describes the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its antagonists, bicuculline and 2-hydroxysaclofen, on visual responses of neurons in the pigeon nucleus lentiformis mesencephali (nLM). The results indicate that GABA significantly reduces both spontaneous activity and visual responsiveness, and GABAA antagonist bicuculline but not GABAB antagonist 2-hydroxysaclofen enhances visual responses of nLM cells examined. Furthermore, inhibition produced by motion in the null-direction of pretectal neurons is diminished by bicuculline but not by 2-hydroxysaclofen. It is therefore concluded that the null-direction inhibition of directional cells in the pigeon nLM is predominantly mediated by GABA and GABAA receptors. This inhibition may at least in part underlie directional asymmetry of optokinetic responses.