Taurine-induced increase of the Cl-conductance of cerebellar Purkinje cell dendrites in vitro.

Whether taurine increases the Cl-conductance of cerebellar Purkinje cell dendrites was examined by intradendritic recording technique in vitro. Taurine-induced hyperpolarization was inverted to depolarization by lowering the concentration of external Cl and also by hyperpolarizing the dendritic membrane by intradendritic DC current injection. The reversal potential for the taurine action was found to be linearly related to the logarithmic concentrations of external Cl, the slope being 59 mV for a 10-fold change of external Cl concentration. These results suggest that taurine increases a Cl-conductance for exerting its inhibitory action on cerebellar Purkinje cell dendrites. This finding may support the transmitter role of taurine in the mammalian cerebellum.