The role of inhibitory compounds such as adenosine and GABA in modulating neuronal activity in invertebrate species is not well described. Here I investigate their role in modulating excitability of cluster F neurons in the pedal ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis. Receptor-specific agonists and antagonists were used to determine that the inhibitory effects of adenosine were mediated through the adenosine A1 receptor, and that action potential frequency varied linearly with intracellular calcium concentrations. These effects had a seasonal dependence, as neurons were resistant to adenosinergic modulation during the summer months. GABAergic modulation of neuronal activity was also seasonal as demonstrated by ionic plasticity in GABAergic transmission. GABA application led to inhibition or excitation of electrical activity in neurons obtained during the fall and winter months, respectively. These effects were mediated through the GABA(A) receptor because of sensitivity to GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline and were likely due to differential cation-chloride cotransporter activity.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OTU.1807/25843 |
| Date | 12 January 2011 |
| Creators | Malik, Aqsa |
| Contributors | Buck, Leslie |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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