Excitatory amino acid signal transduction in cerebellar cell cultures.

In primary cultures of cerebellar granule cells excitatory amino acid recognition sites are coupled with the stimulation of inositol phospholipid (PI) hydrolysis, cGMP formation and 45Ca2+ uptake. Mg2+, 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV) and phencyclidine (PCP) potently inhibit signal transduction in response to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), glutamate (GLU) and aspartate (ASP). Activation by quisqualate (QUIS) is transduced selectively into stimulation of PI hydrolysis and this response is not sensitive to inhibition by Mg2+, APV and PCP. Activation by kainate (KA) is transduced into potent stimulation of cGMP formation and 45Ca2+ uptake. Transduction of KA signal is not affected by Mg2+ and is relatively insensitive to PCP and APV.