Extracellular calcium activity changes in cat sensorimotor cortex induced by iontophoretic application of aminoacids.

Extracellular Ca2+ activity (aCa) changes were measured with Ca2+-sensitive microelectrodes in the cat cerebral cortex during iontophoretic administration of excitatory and inhibitory aminoacids. Glutamate, aspartate and DL homcysteate usually decreased aCa from a baseline of 1.3 mM to as low as 0.1 mM. The amplitude of the changes was largest at depths between 100 and 300 micrometer beneath the cortical surface. The aCa decreases could be deminished or blocked by Co2+, Mn2+ or La3+ as well as by GABA. These data suggest that large Ca2+ conductances that may be voltage-sensitive are present in apical dendrites of neocortical neurones.