Plasticity of excitatory synaptic transmission in kitten visual cortex depends on voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels but not on NMDA receptors

Abstract

Long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory synaptic transmission occurs in in vitro slices of cat and rat visual cortex. Earlier studies suggested that activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-selective glutamate receptors is essential for the induction of LTP. However, our studies on kitten visual cortex demonstrate that LTP induction requires the activation of low-threshold Ca2+ channels in postsynaptic cells but not of NMDA receptors.