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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Jul 2.
Published in final edited form as: J Neurosci Res. 2017 Jan 2;95(1-2):422–436. doi: 10.1002/jnr.23878

Figure 3. The role of α7 nAChRs in regulating GABAA receptor signaling in rodent neonatal hippocampus.

Figure 3

The GABAA receptor switches from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing during the early neonatal period as a result of changes in intracellular Cl−. This change, which is mediated by a shift in the expression of the Cl− cotransporters from NKCC1 to KCC2, occurs later in males than females as a result of high estradiol in males having an inhibitory effect on KCC2 expression. Levels of the Cl− channel, ClC2, and the Cl− cotransporters NKCC1 and KCC2, are pictured, with darker shades indicating higher expression levels. Activation of α7 nAChRs increases intracellular calcium levels both directly and through increased GABA release and GABAA receptor-induced depolarization, resulting in higher expression of KCC2. This regulates the switch of GABAA receptor signaling from depolarization to hyperpolarization. ACh = acetylcholine. T = testosterone. E2= estradiol.