Trans-ACPD (trans-D,L-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid) elicited oscillation of membrane potentials in rat dorsolateral septal nucleus neurons recorded intracellularly in vitro.

Glutamate receptors coupled to phosphoinositol turnover have been identified recently and named 'metabotropic' receptors. However, the exact functional roles of these receptors are still unknown. Trans-ACPD (trans-D,L-1-amino-1,3-cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid) is suggested to be the only selective agonist for metabotropic glutamate receptors. Here we report that trans-ACPD elicits membrane potential depolarization with oscillation of dorsolateral septal nucleus neurons recorded intracellulary in vitro. Our experiments also suggested that there may be multiple interactions between ionotropic quisqualate receptors and metabotropic glutamate receptors. The burst firing induced by high concentrations of trans-ACPD suggests that excessive activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors may lead to cellular toxicity or be associated with clinical disorders such as epilepsy.