NEURONAL AND GLIAL SYSTEMS FOR γ‐AMINOBUTYRIC ACID METABOLISM

Abstract

Abstract —Bulk prepared neuronal perikarya, nerve endings and glial cells have been used to study amino acid concentrations and GABA metabolism in vitro. All amino acids were more concentrated in synaptosomes and glial cells than in neuronal perikarya. Cell specificity was found with respect to the relative distribution of some amino acids. Glutamate decarboxylase activity was considerably higher in synaptosomes than in glial cells. The inhibitory effect of amino‐oxyacetic acid on glutamate decarboxylase activity differed between synaptosomes and glial cells. γ‐Aminobutyric acid‐α‐ketoglutarate transaminase had the highest activity in the glial cell fraction; the inhibition of amino‐oxyacetic acid differed between glial and neuronal material. The metabolism of exogenous GABA just accumulated by a cell showed similar time characteristics in neuronal and glial material.