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The Journal of Neuroscience, November 15, 1998, 18(22):9181-9191
Zebrafish Touch-Insensitive Mutants Reveal an Essential Role for
the Developmental Regulation of Sodium Current
Angeles B.
Ribera1, 2 and
Christiane
Nüsslein-Volhard1
1 Abteilung III/Genetik, Max-Planck-Institut für
Entwicklungsbiologie, Tübingen, Germany D-72076, and
2 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of
Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262
Developmental changes in neuronal connectivity and membrane
properties underlie the stage-specific appearance of embryonic behaviors. The behavioral response of embryonic zebrafish to tactile stimulation first appears at 27 hr postfertilization. Because the touch
response requires the activation of mechanosensory Rohon-Beard neurons, we have used whole-cell recordings in semi-intact preparations to characterize Rohon-Beard cell electrical membrane properties in
several touch-insensitive mutants and then to correlate the development
of excitability in these cells with changes in wild-type behavior.
Electrophysiological analysis of mechanosensory neurons of
touch-insensitive zebrafish mutants indicates that in three mutant
lines that have been examined the sodium current amplitudes are
reduced, and action potentials either have diminished overshoots or are
not generated. In macho mutants the action potential
never overshoots, and the sodium current remains small;
alligator and steifftier show similar but
weaker effects. The effects are specific to sodium channel function;
resting membrane potentials are unaffected, and outward currents of
normal amplitude are present. Developmental analysis of sodium current
expression in mechanosensory neurons of wild-type embryos indicates
that, during the transition from a touch-insensitive to a
touch-sensitive embryo, action potentials acquire larger overshoots and
briefer durations as both sodium and potassium currents increase in
amplitude. However, in macho touch-insensitive mutants,
developmental changes in action potential overshoot and sodium current
are absent despite the normal regulation of action potential duration
and potassium current. Thus, the maturation of a voltage-dependent
sodium current promotes a behavioral response to touch. A study of
these mutants will allow insight into the genes controlling the
maturation of the affected sodium current.
Key words:
zebrafish; motility mutants; touch response; Rohon-Beard cells; action potentials; sodium currents
Copyright © 1998 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/98/18229181-11$05.00/0
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