Astrocytes of the mouse neocortex express functional N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors

SPECIFIC AIMSAstrocytes are thought to be important communication partners in the central nervous system since they express a variety of transmitter receptors. To search for functional expression of the N -methyl-d -aspartate (NMDA) type of glutamate receptors in these cells, we used patch-clamp recording and calcium imaging in acutely isolated cortical brain slices of transgenic mice in which astrocytes were specifically labeled by the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP).PRINCIPAL FINDINGS1. NMDA triggers a current response in identified protoplasmic astrocytesTo test for the presence of functional NMDA receptors in astrocytes, we generated transgenic mice in which astrocytes were labeled by EGFP under the control of the human GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) promoter. EGFP-positive cells were studied in cortical areas of coronal slices from the forebrain prepared from 1- to 4-wk-old mice. Green fluorescent cells could be identified unequivocally by their morphology (small somata of about 10 ...