QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (42) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Womack, M. D. Articles by Khodakhah, K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Womack, M. D. Articles by Khodakhah, K. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

The Journal of Neuroscience, April 1, 2003, 23(7):2600

Somatic and Dendritic Small-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels Regulate the Output of Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons

Mary D. Womack and Kamran Khodakhah

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado 80262, and Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461

Cerebellar Purkinje neurons provide the sole output of the cerebellar cortex and play a crucial role in motor coordination and maintenance of balance. They are spontaneously active, and it is thought that they encode timing signals in the rate and pattern of their activity. An understanding of factors that control their excitability is important for delineating their computational role in the cerebellum. We evaluated the role of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels in the regulation of activity of mouse and rat Purkinje neurons. We find that somatic SK channels effectively limit the maximum firing rate of Purkinje neurons; when SK channels are blocked by the specific antagonists apamin or scyllatoxin, cells fire spontaneously at rates as high as 500 spikes per second. Dendritic SK channels, however, control primarily the extent to which dendrites contribute to the firing rate of Purkinje cells. Given their presence in the dendrites, it is likely that SK channels in the proximal dendrites govern the efficacy of dendrosomatic electrical coupling. When studied under physiological conditions, it is found that SK channels play the same role in controlling the excitability of adult Purkinje neurons as they do in young cells.

Key words: motor coordination; cerebellum; Purkinje cells; calcium-activated potassium channels; trimodal pattern of activity; apamin

---

Copyright © 2003 Society for Neuroscience  0270-6474/03/2372600-08$05.00/0

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Alvina and K. Khodakhah Selective regulation of spontaneous activity of neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei by N-type calcium channels in juvenile rats J. Physiol., May 15, 2008; 586(10): 2523 - 2538. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. D. Ellis, W. H. Mehaffey, E. Harvey-Girard, R. W. Turner, L. Maler, and R. J. Dunn SK Channels Provide a Novel Mechanism for the Control of Frequency Tuning in Electrosensory Neurons J. Neurosci., August 29, 2007; 27(35): 9491 - 9502. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Nolting, T. Ferraro, D. D'hoedt, and M. Stocker An Amino Acid Outside the Pore Region Influences Apamin Sensitivity in Small Conductance Ca2+-activated K+ Channels J. Biol. Chem., February 9, 2007; 282(6): 3478 - 3486. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. D. Brenowitz, A. R. Best, and W. G. Regehr Sustained elevation of dendritic calcium evokes widespread endocannabinoid release and suppression of synapses onto cerebellar Purkinje cells. J. Neurosci., June 21, 2006; 26(25): 6841 - 6850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Khavandgar, J. T. Walter, K. Sageser, and K. Khodakhah Kv1 channels selectively prevent dendritic hyperexcitability in rat Purkinje cells J. Physiol., December 1, 2005; 569(2): 545 - 557. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. E McKay and R. W Turner Physiological and morphological development of the rat cerebellar Purkinje cell J. Physiol., September 15, 2005; 567(3): 829 - 850. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Womack, C. Chevez, and K. Khodakhah Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels Are Selectively Coupled to P/Q-Type Calcium Channels in Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons J. Neurosci., October 6, 2004; 24(40): 8818 - 8822. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. L. Cerminara and J. A. Rawson Evidence that Climbing Fibers Control an Intrinsic Spike Generator in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells J. Neurosci., May 12, 2004; 24(19): 4510 - 4517. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. D. Womack and K. Khodakhah Dendritic Control of Spontaneous Bursting in Cerebellar Purkinje Cells J. Neurosci., April 7, 2004; 24(14): 3511 - 3521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Takahashi, J. L. Smart, H. Liu, and R. D. Cone The Anorexigenic Fatty Acid Synthase Inhibitor, C75, Is a Nonspecific Neuronal Activator Endocrinology, January 1, 2004; 145(1): 184 - 193. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Tzounopoulos and R. Stackman Enhancing Synaptic Plasticity and Memory: A Role for Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels Neuroscientist, December 1, 2003; 9(6): 434 - 439. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A. M. Swensen and B. P. Bean Ionic Mechanisms of Burst Firing in Dissociated Purkinje Neurons J. Neurosci., October 22, 2003; 23(29): 9650 - 9663. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Martina, G. L. Yao, and B. P. Bean Properties and Functional Role of Voltage-Dependent Potassium Channels in Dendrites of Rat Cerebellar Purkinje Neurons J. Neurosci., July 2, 2003; 23(13): 5698 - 5707. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. M. Khaliq, N. W. Gouwens, and I. M. Raman The Contribution of Resurgent Sodium Current to High-Frequency Firing in Purkinje Neurons: An Experimental and Modeling Study J. Neurosci., June 15, 2003; 23(12): 4899 - 4912. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help