Analysis of synaptic potentials in mitral cells in the isolated turtle olfactory bulb

1. The synaptic responses of mitral cells have been analysed in intracellular recordings from the isolated olfactory bulb of the turtle. 2. The response of a mitral cell to a single volley in the lateral olfactory tract consisted of and antidromic impulse and a complex hyperpolarizing potential that had the properties of an inhibitory post-synaptic potential. The inhibitory response consisted of two successive components I1 and I2, followed by a prolonged hyperpolarization. 3. High-gain recordings revealed miniature hyperpolarizing potentials during the I1 and I2 responses. Both the miniature potentials and the I1 and I2 responses were increased in amplitude by depolarizing injected currents, and decreased and reversed in polarity by hyperpolarizing currents. The input conductance was increased during the I2 component. In some cells the I1 and I2 components, recorded with micropipettes filled with potassium acetate or potassium citrate, were depolarizing. 4 A single orthodromic volley in the olfactory nerves elicited a complex depolarizing-hyperpolarizing potential in mitral cells. The depolarization consisted of two successive components, E1 and E2. The hyperpolarization consisted of two successive components, I1 and I2, followed by a prolonged hyperpolarization. 5. The depolarizing components had the properties of excitatory post-synaptic potentials. They decreased in amplitude with depolarizing current injection and increased with hyperpolarizing injection. The hyperpolarizing components resembled the I1 and I2 components of the tract-evoked responses in their timing and properties. 6. It is postulated that the E1 component reflects the initial excitation by olfactory nerve terminals of the mitral cell dendritic tufts in the olfactory glomeruli. The I1 component is postulated to arise from dendrodendritic synaptic input mediated by interneurones, mainly granule cells. The E2 and I2 components are likely to arise mainly from intrinsic synaptic circuits within the olfactory bulb.