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Related Concept Videos

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)01:32

Postsynaptic Potential (PSP)

Postsynaptic potential (PSP) refers to a change in the electrical potential of a neuron when neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons bind to postsynaptic receptors. This potential can either be excitatory, leading to depolarization and ultimately action potential generation, or inhibitory, leading to hyperpolarization and suppression of the postsynaptic neuron.
There are two types of receptors: ionotropic and metabotropic.
The ionotropic receptor is the membrane protein that has an...
Graded Potential01:19

Graded Potential

Graded potentials are localized fluctuations in the cell membrane's electrical charge, commonly found in the dendrites of neurons. The magnitude of these potential changes depends on the strength of the initiating stimulus. In a membrane at its resting potential, a graded potential signifies a voltage shift either above -70 mV or below -70 mV.
Graded potentials fall into two categories: depolarizing and hyperpolarizing. Depolarizing graded potentials typically occur when sodium (Na+) or calcium...
Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation01:28

Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation

The action potential is a complex electrical event that occurs in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. It consists of several distinct phases, each with specific characteristics.
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation01:19

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...

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Related Experiment Video

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Isolating and Culturing Vestibular and Spiral Ganglion Somata from Neonatal Rodents for Patch-Clamp Recordings
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Transient sodium current at subthreshold voltages: activation by EPSP waveforms.

Brett C Carter1, Andrew J Giessel, Bernardo L Sabatini

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Neuron
|September 25, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Subthreshold sodium channels activate both transient and persistent currents, amplifying excitatory signals in neurons. This finding explains how the speed of depolarization influences neuronal firing thresholds.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

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08:30

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Published on: January 18, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive sodium channels are crucial for neuronal excitability.
  • These channels mediate both transient currents during action potentials and persistent currents at subthreshold voltages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the gating properties of subthreshold sodium currents in cerebellar Purkinje and hippocampal CA1 neurons.
  • To understand the contribution of transient and persistent sodium currents to subthreshold neuronal activity.

Main Methods:

  • Studied dissociated cerebellar Purkinje and hippocampal CA1 neurons at 37°C under near-physiological ionic conditions.
  • Applied small voltage steps and excitatory/inhibitory postsynaptic potential (EPSP/IPSP)-like waveforms to assess sodium current activation.

Main Results:

  • Subthreshold voltage steps activated substantial components of both transient and persistent sodium currents.
  • EPSP-like waveforms preferentially activated transient sodium current, while IPSP-like waveforms engaged persistent sodium current.
  • Subthreshold sodium current activation amplifies EPSPs in a depolarization rate-dependent manner.

Conclusions:

  • Subthreshold sodium channel activity significantly contributes to neuronal signal processing.
  • The amplification of EPSPs by subthreshold sodium currents helps explain the rate-dependence of spike threshold.
  • These findings offer insights into the mechanisms underlying neuronal firing patterns in the central nervous system.