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Reduced ionic conductance in turtle brain

C J Doll1, P W Hochachka, P B Reiner

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

The American Journal of Physiology
|October 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
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Rat neurons exhibit significantly higher conductance than turtle neurons, a difference amplified by temperature. Turtle neurons show stable conductance even during anoxia, suggesting low energy expenditure.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Comparative Physiology
  • Cellular Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Neuronal membrane conductance is a critical factor in brain function and energy consumption.
  • Understanding species-specific differences in neuronal properties can elucidate evolutionary adaptations.
  • Pyramidal neurons are key excitatory cells in the mammalian and reptilian cortex.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare whole cell (Gw) and specific membrane (Gm) conductance in turtle and rat pyramidal neurons.
  • To investigate the effect of temperature on neuronal conductance in both species.
  • To assess the impact of anoxia on turtle neuronal conductance.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-cell patch-clamp recording techniques were utilized.
  • Conductance measurements were performed on isolated pyramidal neurons from turtle and rat brain slices.

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  • Experiments were conducted across a range of temperatures and under anoxic conditions for turtle neurons.

    • Main Results:

    • Rat pyramidal neurons demonstrated significantly higher conductance (4.2x at 25°C) compared to turtle neurons.
    • Temperature had a pronounced effect, with rat neurons at 37°C being 22x more conductive than turtle neurons at 15°C.
    • A consistent conductance Q10 value of 1.9 was observed for both species across their respective temperature ranges.
    • Turtle pyramidal neurons showed no significant change in conductance (Gm or Gw) during prolonged anoxia (6-9 hours).

    Conclusions:

    • Rat neurons possess substantially higher intrinsic membrane conductance than turtle neurons.
    • The observed differences in conductance may contribute to variations in metabolic rates between species.
    • The stability of turtle neuronal conductance under anoxia supports the hypothesis of low ATP-dependent ion pump activity, facilitating energy conservation.