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Related Experiment Videos

Gap junction channel gating at bass retinal electrical synapses

C Lu1, D G McMahon

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0084, USA.

Visual Neuroscience
|November 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Electrical synapses in fish retinas show voltage-dependent gating. Gap junctions between horizontal cells inactivate at the single-channel level, primarily through increased channel closure rates when voltage increases.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology
  • Vision Science

Background:

  • Retinal horizontal cells form electrical synapses crucial for visual signal processing.
  • Understanding the properties of these gap junctions is key to comprehending retinal function.
  • Previous studies have suggested voltage-dependence in horizontal cell gap junctions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the gating properties of gap junctions between cone-driven horizontal cells.
  • To investigate the voltage-dependence of electrical synapse function in the hybrid striped bass retina.
  • To elucidate the single-channel mechanisms underlying macroscopic junctional current inactivation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized double whole-cell voltage-clamp techniques on 105 pairs of cone-driven horizontal cells.

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  • Analyzed macroscopic junctional current-voltage relationships and time courses.
  • Performed single-channel analysis to determine unitary conductance and gating kinetics.

    • Main Results:

    • Macroscopic junctional conductance ranged from 0.4-100 nS, with a linear instantaneous current-voltage relationship and rectified steady-state currents above +/- 30-40 mV.
    • Single-channel analysis revealed unitary conductances of 50-70 pS, with voltage-dependent decreases in open probability, mean open time, and opening frequency.
    • Voltage-dependent inactivation of macroscopic currents was observed, primarily driven by an increased rate of channel closure at the single-channel level.

    Conclusions:

    • Hybrid striped bass retinal horizontal cells exhibit significant voltage-dependent inactivation of their electrical synapses.
    • This inactivation is mediated at the single-channel level by an increased rate of channel closure.
    • These findings provide detailed insights into the gating mechanisms of horizontal cell gap junctions and their role in visual processing.