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

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

This Article 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 Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal 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 Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nagano, M. Articles by Cooke, I. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nagano, M. Articles by Cooke, I. M.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 7, 634-648, Copyright © 1987 by Society for Neuroscience

ARTICLE

Comparison of electrical responses of terminals, axons, and somata of a peptidergic neurosecretory system

M Nagano and IM Cooke

Spontaneous and evoked electrical activity was recorded intracellularly from somata, axons, and terminal dilatations of an isolated peptidergic neurosecretory system, the X-organ-sinus gland, of the crabs Cardisoma carnifex and Podophthalmus vigil in order to compare their electrical characteristics. Spontaneous impulse activity was present in most penetrations and included irregular and pacemaker-like firing, as well as patterned activity (bursting). Extracellular recording showed that spontaneous impulses and bursting originate in a proximal region of the axon tract. Somata vary from being electrically nonresponsive to having overshooting impulses with a relatively slow rate of rise. Overshooting impulses were consistently recorded from axons and terminals. Regional differences include (1) a longer action potential duration in terminals, (2) ability of axons and terminals but not somata to sustain repetitive firing, (3) presence of depolarizing afterpotentials in axons but of hyperpolarizing afterpotentials in somata and terminals, and (4) occurrence of impulse broadening during repetitive firing in some terminals but not in axons or somata. Somata and terminals sustained reduced and slowed, but regenerative impulses in nominally Na- free saline and showed alterations of waveform in nominally Ca-free salines, while axons showed no regenerative responses in Na-free saline and no change of impulse form in Ca-free saline. Terminal responses in the presence of tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) (50 mM) or Ba (50 mM) exhibited long depolarized plateaus, while impulses of somata were much less prolonged. Bursts often took the form of impulses superimposed on a depolarized plateau. Bursts could be evoked by single stimuli applied to the axon tract but not by current passed intracellularly. After addition of TTX, axon tract stimulation evoked plateaus without superimposed impulses. Terminals exhibit specialization of their electrical responses by comparison to axons and somata in having long- duration action potentials attributable to participation of Ca, capability of sustained firing, impulse broadening, and channels supporting sustained inward currents, all of which might enhance the admission of Ca for initiation of peptide secretion.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Meir, S. Ginsburg, A. Butkevich, S. G. Kachalsky, I. Kaiserman, R. Ahdut, S. Demirgoren, and R. Rahamimoff Ion Channels in Presynaptic Nerve Terminals and Control of Transmitter Release Physiol Rev, July 1, 1999; 79(3): 1019 - 1088. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help