The action of taurine on the response to glutamate in the motoneuron of the isolated frog spinal cord.

Using the sucrose gap method, the effect of taurine on the response to glutamate in the ventral root of the isolated frog spinal cord was investigated. The depolarization induced by glutamate was reduced by taurine and the inhibitory action of taurine was antagonized by strychnine, but not by picrotoxin or bicuculline. This action of taurine was also unaffected by tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine and Ringer deficient in sodium ions, but was affected by chloride-free Ringer. Potassium-free Ringer abolished the effect of taurine on the amplitude of the response to glutamate, but not on the rising phase of the depolarization induced by glutamate. Taurine also abolished the after-hyperpolarization induced by glutamate and this was reduced by ouabain or lithium ions. These findings suggest that taurine acts on a glycine receptor to inhibit the response to glutamate, that the action of taurine partly depends on chloride ions, and that taurine inhibits the sodium pump.