Mouse spinal cord in cell culture. IV. Modulation of inhibitory synaptic function

Abstract
When dissociated cell cultures of the fetal mouse spinal cord were grown chronically in the presence of glycine-containing medium, inhibitory synaptic activity were suppressed and paroxysmal neuronal activity was increased. Glycine chemosensitivity, assessed by iontophoretic application of glycine, was also suppressed. When cultures grown in the presence of glycine were acutely switched to glycine free medium, glycine sensitivity was quickly restored only after several (> 6) hours. Upon EM examination no abnormality of a specific synaptic type were evident in cultures grown in glycine.