The Role of the NMDA Receptor in Synaptic Transmission at the Crayfish Neuromuscular Junction

Abstract

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is a predominant molecular device responsible for many crucial aspects of postsynaptic signal transmission including memory formation and synaptic plasticity. Studies suggest that NMDA application increases potentiation of signal transmission in mammalian hippocampal cells (Broutman and Baudry, 2001). In our study, we explored the prevalence of the NMDA receptor in the neuromuscular junction of crayfish. We measured excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in control settings and after applying a NMDA bath. Our findings suggest that the application of NMDA did not have a significant effect on potentiation of EPSPs.