Biochemistry & Pharmacology: Open Access
Open Access

Junfang Zhang

Publications

• Research Article
  Nicotinic Modulation of GABAA Receptor Function in Single Dopaminergic Neurons Freshly-Dissociated from Rat Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta
  Author(s): Kechun Yang, Junfang Zhang and Jie WuKechun Yang, Junfang Zhang and Jie Wu
  
  Previous studies have shown that nicotine modulates GABAergic transmission onto dopaminergic (DAergic) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) mainly via presynaptic mechanisms. However, nicotinic modulation of postsynaptic GABAA receptor function in SNc DAergic neurons is unknown. Employing patch-clamp recording technique in single putative DAergic neurons freshly dissociated from rat SNc, we found that functional α4β2-nAChRs were well expressed on majority (77%) of putative SNc DAergic neurons recorded (type ID neurons), while functional α7-nAChRs were only detected in 23% of recorded putative SNc DAergic neurons (type IID neurons). Smoking relevant concentration of nicotine reversibly increased the amplitude of GABAA receptor-mediated wholecell currents in 63% of type ID neurons expressing α4β2-nAChRs, but not in those type IID neurons.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2167-0501.S1-003

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