Depolarizing Potential (depolarizing + potential)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Contribution of T-type VDCC to TEA-induced long-term synaptic modification in hippocampal CA1 and dentate gyrus

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 5 2002
Dong Song
Abstract We have previously reported that exposure to the K+ channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA), 25 mM, induces long-term potentiation (LTP) in CA1, but not in the dentate gyrus (DG), of the rat hippocampal slice. During TEA application, stimulation of excitatory afferents results in a strong depolarizing potential after the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) in CA1, but not in DG. We hypothesized that the differential effect of TEA on long-term synaptic modification in CA1 and DG results from different levels of TEA-elicited depolarization in the two cell types. Additional pharmacological studies showed that blockade of T-type voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) decreased both the magnitude of LTP and the late, depolarizing potential in CA1. Blockade of L-type VDCCs had no such effect. Using computer models of morphologically reconstructed CA1 pyramidal cells and DG granule cells, we tested our hypothesis by simulating the relative intracellular Ca2+ accumulation and membrane potential changes mediated by T-type and L-type VDCCs. Simulation results using pyramidal cell models showed that, with decreased maximum conductance of TEA-sensitive potassium channels, synaptic inputs elicited strong depolarizing potentials similar to those observed with intracellular recording. During this depolarization, VDCCs were opened and resulted in a large intracellular Ca2+ accumulation that presumably caused LTP. When T-type VDCCs were blocked, the magnitudes of both the Ca2+ accumulation and the late depolarizing potential were decreased substantially. Simulated blockade of L-type VDCCs had only a minor effect. Together, our modeling and experimental studies indicate that T-type VDCCs, rather than L-type VDCCs, are primarily responsible for facilitating the depolarizing potential caused by TEA and for the consequent Ca2+ influx. Thus, our findings strongly suggest that the induction of TEA-LTP in CA1 depends primarily on T-type, rather than L-type, VDCCs. Simulation results using modeled granule cells suggests that the failure of TEA to induce LTP in DG is partly due to a low density of T-type VDCCs in granule cell membranes. Hippocampus 2002;12:689,697. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


GAT-1 acts to limit a tonic GABAA current in rat CA3 pyramidal neurons at birth

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2007
Sampsa T. Sipilä
Abstract Tonic activation of GABAA receptors takes place before the development of functional synapses in cortical structures. We studied whether inefficient GABA uptake might explain the presence of a tonic GABAA -mediated current (IGABA-A) in early postnatal hippocampal pyramidal neurons. The data show, however, that the tonic IGABA-A is enhanced by the specific blocker of GABA transporter-1 (GAT-1), NO-711 (1-[2-[[(Diphenylmethyleneimino]oxy]ethyl]-1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-3-pyridinecarboxylic acid hydrochloride), at birth in rat CA3 pyramidal neurons. NO-711 also prolonged the duration of GABA transients during endogenous hippocampal network events (known as giant depolarizing potentials) at postnatal day 0. The endogenous tonic IGABA-A was seen and it was enhanced by NO-711 in the presence of tetrodotoxin, which itself had only a minor effect on the holding current under control conditions. This indicates that the source of interstitial GABA is largely independent of action-potential activity. The tonic IGABA-A in neonatal CA3 pyramidal neurons was increased by zolpidem, indicating that at least a proportion of the underlying GABAA receptors contain ,2 and ,1,,3 subunits. The present data point to a significant role for GAT-1 in the control of the excitability of immature hippocampal neurons and networks. [source]


Spontaneous recurrent network activity in organotypic rat hippocampal slices

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 1 2005
Majid H. Mohajerani
Abstract Organotypic hippocampal slices were prepared from postnatal day 4 rats and maintained in culture for >6 weeks. Cultured slices exhibited from 12 days in vitro spontaneous events which closely resembled giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs) recorded in neonatal hippocampal slices. GDP-like events occurred over the entire hippocampus with a delay of 30,60 ms between two adjacent regions as demonstrated by pair recordings from CA3,CA3, CA3,CA1 and interneurone,CA3 pyramidal cells. As in acute slices, spontaneous recurrent events were generated by the interplay of GABA and glutamate acting on AMPA receptors as they were reversibly blocked by bicuculline and 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione but not by dl -2-amino-5-phosphonopentaoic acid. The equilibrium potentials for GABA measured in whole cell and gramicidin-perforated patch from interconnected interneurones,CA3 pyramidal cells were ,70 and ,56 mV, respectively. The resting membrane potential estimated from the reversal of N -methyl- d -aspartate-induced single-channel currents in cell-attach experiments was ,75 mV. In spite of its depolarizing action, in the majority of cases GABA was still inhibitory as it blocked the firing of principal cells. The increased level of glutamatergic connectivity certainly contributed to network synchronization and to the development of interictal discharges after prolonged exposure to bicuculline. In spite of its inhibitory action, in a minority of cells GABA was still depolarizing and excitatory as it was able to bring principal cells to fire, suggesting that a certain degree of immaturity is still present in cultured slices. This was in line with the transient bicuculline-induced block of GDPs and with the isoguvacine-induced increase of GDP frequency. [source]