Related Experiment Videos
Protein kinase C pathways modulate respiratory pattern generation in the cat
A Haji1, O Pierrefiche, P M Lalley
1II. Physiologisches Institut, Universität Göttingen, Germany.
The Journal of Physiology
|July 1, 1996
Summary
Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a crucial role in regulating respiratory neurons. Blocking PKC alters neuronal excitability by affecting ion currents, influencing respiratory drive and pattern generation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Respiratory Physiology
Background:
- Protein kinase C (PKC) is implicated in neuronal function.
- Its specific role in respiratory pattern generation remains to be fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the endogenous activity and functional significance of PKC in expiratory neurons controlling respiratory patterns.
- To determine how PKC modulates neuronal excitability and synaptic currents.
Main Methods:
- Experiments were conducted on anesthetized cats, focusing on 43 expiratory neurons.
- Techniques included intracellular injection of a PKC inhibitor and voltage clamp analysis.
- Potassium (K+) conductances were blocked using tetraethylammonium (TEA) to further assess PKC's role.
Main Results:
- PKC inhibition led to reversible hyperpolarization and reduced respiratory drive potentials and action potential discharges.
- Blockade of PKC altered inhibitory and excitatory drive currents, decreasing overall respiratory drive.
- In the presence of TEA, PKC blockade resulted in significant hyperpolarization/depolarization shifts and a marked reduction in respiratory drive currents.
Conclusions:
- PKC is endogenously active in expiratory neurons, modulating their excitability.
- PKC influences respiratory pattern generation by downregulating persistent K+ currents.
- PKC also upregulates inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs).