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Related Experiment Videos

Electrotonic coupling between rat sympathetic preganglionic neurones in vitro

S D Logan1, A E Pickering, I C Gibson

  • 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Marischal College, University of Aberdeen, UK. s.d.logan@abdn.ac.uk

The Journal of Physiology
|September 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) exhibit spontaneous electrical oscillations, termed spikelets, due to electrotonic coupling. This coupling enables synchronized activity within the sympathetic nervous system.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) are crucial for regulating sympathetic outflow.
  • Understanding the intrinsic electrical properties and network interactions of SPNs is vital for comprehending sympathetic control.
  • Previous research has not fully elucidated the mechanisms underlying spontaneous activity and synchronization in SPNs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the phenomenon of spontaneous membrane potential oscillations in rat sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs).
  • To determine the underlying mechanisms responsible for these oscillations and their synchronization.
  • To explore the functional implications of electrotonic coupling among SPNs for sympathetic information processing.

Main Methods:

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  • Whole-cell recording technique in rat spinal cord slices.
  • Stimulation of ventral roots to induce short-latency depolarizations (SLDs).
  • Intracellular application of drugs (QX-314) and extracellular application of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and alpha-chloralose.
  • Current injection to induce and record neuronal activity.
  • Simultaneous whole-cell recordings from pairs of SPNs.

Main Results:

  • 26% of SPNs displayed spontaneous membrane potential oscillations, termed spikelets.
  • Spikelets were inhibited by TTX and alpha-chloralose, but not by intracellular QX-314, suggesting a non-synaptic origin.
  • Short-latency depolarizations (SLDs) in oscillating neurons mimicked spikelets and overrode their frequency, indicating electrotonic coupling.
  • Quiescent SPNs also exhibited SLDs and could be induced to oscillate via current injection, suggesting gap-junction coupling.
  • Simultaneous recordings confirmed electrotonic coupling, with synchronized oscillations and action potentials observed in some SPN pairs.

Conclusions:

  • Spontaneous spikelets in SPNs result from electrotonic coupling mediated by gap junctions.
  • Electrotonic coupling allows for the synchronization of activity among groups of SPNs.
  • This network property provides a novel mechanism for integrating and synchronizing information within the sympathetic nervous system.