Synaptic activity of myenteric neurons in tissue culture

Intracellular recordings were made from myenteric neurons of the guinea-pig caecum grown in tissue culture. The experiments were carried out on cultures older than 15 days, in which the neurons formed ganglion-like aggregates with many interconnecting nerve fibres. Intracellular injection of horseradish peroxidase demonstrated that the neurons project processes both within and outside the aggregates. Spontaneous activity was recorded in about 50% of the cells. This activity was composed of depolarizing potentials 2-20 mV in amplitude, and in most cases 10-20 ms in duration. In some instances, the potentials occurred in short bursts. The spontaneous potentials appear to be nicotinic cholinergic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). Electrical stimulation of the connecting fibers elicited in the neurons nicotinic cholinergic EPSPs, since they were blocked by hexamethonium. By varying the stimulus intensity and by stimulating several fibers, it was shown that the neurons are multiple-innervated. During repetitive presynaptic stimulation at frequencies above 10 Hz, there was a progressive reduction of the EPSP amplitude. It is concluded that the cultured myenteric neurons retain many of the characteristics found in the freshly isolated preparation and may be useful for studying the synaptic properties of these cells.