Purinergic modulation in the developing rat hippocampus

Even during early postnatal development, rhythmic electrical activity emerges across multiple regions of the nervous system, particularly in the hippocampus. Within this structure, such activity takes the form of giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) — synchronized network events crucial for neuronal maturation and the establishment of synaptic connectivity. The generation and propagation of GDPs are regulated by multiple mechanisms, among which the purinergic system (involving ATP and adenosine), studied by our team, holds particular significance. Our research has demonstrated that during GDPs, ATP is released into the extracellular space and subsequently hydrolyzed to adenosine. Both ATP and adenosine can modulate the activity of neurons and glial cells in newborns through various types of purinergic receptors. This review synthesizes current data on the diverse effects of purinergic modulation in the neonatal hippocampus, the phenomenon of bidirectional purinergic signaling, and the expression and functional roles of all purinoceptor subtypes in the postnatal period. Special attention is given to the physiological role of purinergic modulation in the developing hippocampus.