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Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 13, 2026

In Vivo Targeting of Neural Progenitor Cells in Ferret Neocortex by In Utero Electroporation
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Changes in Action Potential Properties in the Ferret Prefrontal Cortex During Adolescence.

Dongil Keum1, Brian N Mathur2,3, Alexandre E Medina1,4

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

The Journal of Comparative Neurology
|January 10, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Defining adulthood in ferrets is crucial for research. This study found that ferret prefrontal cortex (PFC) functional maturation, indicated by neuronal excitability changes, does not occur before postnatal day 220 (P220).

Keywords:
Clampex 11 (RRID:SCR_011323)Marshall Farms (RRID:SCR_015489)MultiClamp 700b (RRID:SCR_018455)Python (RRID:SCR_008394)R software (RRID:SCR_001905)developmentelectrophysiologyfrontal cortexgyrencephalicprelimbic

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Animal Models
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Ferrets, with their gyrencephalic brains, serve as valuable models for human brain development and disorders.
  • There is a lack of consensus regarding the definition of adulthood in ferrets, with studies using varied age ranges.
  • Adolescence is marked by physical and behavioral changes, but brain maturation, particularly in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), extends beyond puberty.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional maturation of the ferret prefrontal cortex (PFC) as a marker for the transition from adolescence to adulthood.
  • To determine the age at which the ferret PFC achieves functional maturity.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were performed on pyramidal neurons (PNs) in the prelimbic cortex of the ferret medial PFC.
  • Electrophysiological properties were analyzed at three ages post-puberty: P120, P180, and P220.
  • Injected current-firing curves and sag amplitude were measured to assess neuronal excitability.

Main Results:

  • Neuronal excitability in the ferret PFC significantly changed between P120 and P220.
  • An increased amount of current was required to elicit action potentials (APs) at P220 compared to P120.
  • An increase in sag amplitude and a reduction in rheobase were observed, indicating altered neuronal properties.

Conclusions:

  • The excitability of PNs in the ferret prelimbic cortex undergoes developmental changes after puberty.
  • Functional maturation of the ferret PFC, as assessed by these electrophysiological markers, is not complete before P220.
  • P220 represents a potential age marker for adulthood in ferrets, based on PFC functional maturity.