Nonspiking interneurons in the ventilatory central pattern generator of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas

Eight nonspiking interneurons were identified that are elements of the central pattern generator controlling ventilation in the shore crab, Carcinus maenas. Intracellular recordings from these neurons in an isolated ganglion preparation revealed that these cells exhibit large amplitude oscillations in their membrane potentials, which are in-phase with the ventilatory motor pattern. These oscillations are present during the expression of the two distinct ventilatory motor output patterns corresponding to forward and reversed ventilation, and the oscillations stopped during pauses in the ventilatory rhythm. Injection of intracellular current pulses into these interneurons caused a resetting of the ongoing ventilatory rhythm, indicating that these cells are part of the ventilatory central pattern generator. The structure of each interneuron was determined by the intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow dye. These neurons have a large diameter main neurite ranging from 10 to 20 microns in diameter with very restricted primary and secondary branching from the main neurite. All of the interneurons are restricted to a single hemiganglion and perturbation of these cells with intracellular current pulses only affect the motor output of the hemiganglion containing the interneuron. These eight nonspiking interneurons appear to be the primary components of the central pattern generator underlying ventilation in the crab.