Property examined | Embryo type | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Control (n) | mao(n) | ali (n) | ste(n) | tdo (n) | |
Resting membrane potential (mV) | −74 ± 3 (16) | −72 ± 4 (8) | −76 ± 3 (14) | −72 ± 3 (16) | −67 ± 3 (9) |
Action potential/active response characteristics: | |||||
Overshoot (mV) | 16 ± 3 (10) | −4.8 ± 1.7 (8) | 6.2 ± 2.4 (11) | 9.6 ± 2.6 (14) | 17 ± 3 (7) |
Amplitude (mV) | 102 ± 3 (10) | 75 ± 3 (8) | 89 ± 2.6 (11) | 92 ± 3 (14) | 105 ± 3 (7) |
Duration (msec) | 2.2 ± 0.3 (10) | 2.9 ± 0.4 (8) | 2.4 ± 0.4 (11) | 2.2 ± 0.2 (14) | 2.2 ± 0.2 (7) |
Cell membrane capacitance (pF) | 3.5 ± 0.1 (65) | 3.4 ± 0.1 (92) | 3.3 ± 0.2 (20) | 3.6 ± 0.12 (37) | 2.9 ± 0.24 (8) |
Statistical analysis (either Student’s t test or Mann–Whitney nonparametric) indicates that the amplitudes of responses of Rohon–Beard cells of mao, ali, andste mutants are significantly different from those of the pooled sibling controls or tdo mutants (p values range between 0.04 and 0.001). Resting membrane potentials of Rohon-Beard cells of mutants are not significantly different from control (unaffected siblings), except for the case of tdo. However, when tdo Rohon-Beard cells are compared against their matched sibling controls, no statistical differences are noted. Durations are not significantly different among the five cases examined. Cell membrane capacitance values are calculated in all neurons from which acceptable whole-cell configurations were obtained (see Materials and Methods).