Activation of excitatory amino acid receptors reduces thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation rate in primary cultures of astrocytes.

Addition of quisqualate (a heterocyclic analogue of glutamate) reduced [methyl-3H]thymidine incorporation and cell proliferation in primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. The inhibitory action of quisqualate was mimicked by glutamate and ibotenate, whereas kainate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) were inactive. These results suggest that activation of a specific class of excitatory amino acid receptors contributes to the regulation of growth and proliferation of glial cells in primary culture.