Molecular, functional and modeling study of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulation of chloride homeostasis in the rat lumbar spinal cord during postnatal development

In the mature central nervous system (CNS) GABA and glycine are the major inhibitory neurotransmitters. They act via shunting incoming excitatory currents and via moving the membrane potential away from the action potential threshold. However, during development, the action of GABA or glycine can be depolarizing and become even excitatory. This phenomenon plays a significant role in the maturation of the CNS, including neuronal migration and growth, synapse formation and plasticity of GABA synapses (Ben-Ari, 2002). Since synaptic inhibition operate mainly through Cl- fluxes, developmental regulation of this anion is crucial for the establishment of GABA/glycine inhibition.