Spread of synaptic potentials through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech
Spread of synaptic potentials through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech
We studied the spread of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech Haementeria officinalis. The pair of Retzius neurones in each ganglion is coupled by a non-rectifying electrical synapse. Both neurones displayed synchronous EPSPs of varying amplitudes and rise times. The kinetics of synchronous EPSPs was similar in 79 % of the EPSP pairs. In the remaining 21 %, one EPSP was smaller and slower than the other, suggesting its passive spread from the other neurone. The proportion of these events increased to 75 % in the presence of Mg(2+) in the bathing fluid. This spread of EPSPs from one neurone to another was tested by producing artificial EPSPs by current injection into the soma of one Retzius neurone. The artificial EPSPs were smaller and arrived more slowly at the soma of the coupled neurone. The coupling ratios for the EPSPs were proportional to the coupling ratio for long steady-state pulses in different neuronal pairs. Our results showed that EPSPs spread from one Retzius neurone to the other and support the idea that EPSP spread between electrically coupled neurones may contribute to the integration processes of neurones.
synapse, electrical synapse, integration, leech, gap junction, haementeria officinalis
3241-3250
De-Miguel, F.F.
532d2439-7403-465e-8ce2-5cac1962498b
Vargas-Caballero, M.
de2178ac-77fd-4748-9fe5-109ab8ad93e1
García-Pérez, E.
69bca721-f32b-43d9-8b32-6d0db1db475d
October 2001
De-Miguel, F.F.
532d2439-7403-465e-8ce2-5cac1962498b
Vargas-Caballero, M.
de2178ac-77fd-4748-9fe5-109ab8ad93e1
García-Pérez, E.
69bca721-f32b-43d9-8b32-6d0db1db475d
De-Miguel, F.F., Vargas-Caballero, M. and García-Pérez, E.
(2001)
Spread of synaptic potentials through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech.
Journal of Experimental Biology, 204 (19), .
(PMID:11606598)
Abstract
We studied the spread of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) through electrical synapses in Retzius neurones of the leech Haementeria officinalis. The pair of Retzius neurones in each ganglion is coupled by a non-rectifying electrical synapse. Both neurones displayed synchronous EPSPs of varying amplitudes and rise times. The kinetics of synchronous EPSPs was similar in 79 % of the EPSP pairs. In the remaining 21 %, one EPSP was smaller and slower than the other, suggesting its passive spread from the other neurone. The proportion of these events increased to 75 % in the presence of Mg(2+) in the bathing fluid. This spread of EPSPs from one neurone to another was tested by producing artificial EPSPs by current injection into the soma of one Retzius neurone. The artificial EPSPs were smaller and arrived more slowly at the soma of the coupled neurone. The coupling ratios for the EPSPs were proportional to the coupling ratio for long steady-state pulses in different neuronal pairs. Our results showed that EPSPs spread from one Retzius neurone to the other and support the idea that EPSP spread between electrically coupled neurones may contribute to the integration processes of neurones.
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Published date: October 2001
Keywords:
synapse, electrical synapse, integration, leech, gap junction, haementeria officinalis
Organisations:
Centre for Biological Sciences
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 348678
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/348678
ISSN: 0022-0949
PURE UUID: 2e74a291-d74f-4ad4-831e-2eec09b2e723
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Date deposited: 13 May 2013 13:36
Last modified: 09 Jan 2022 03:40
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Author:
F.F. De-Miguel
Author:
E. García-Pérez
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