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State-dependent firing determines intrinsic dendritic Ca2+ signaling in thalamocortical neurons.

ABSTRACT: Activity-dependent dendritic Ca(2+) signals play a critical role in multiple forms of nonlinear cellular output and plasticity. In thalamocortical neurons, despite the well established spatial separation of sensory and cortical inputs onto proximal and distal dendrites, respectively, little is known about the spatiotemporal dynamics of intrinsic dendritic Ca(2+) signaling during the different state-dependent firing patterns that are characteristic of these neurons. Here we demonstrate that T-type Ca(2+) channels are expressed throughout the entire dendritic tree of rat thalamocortical neurons and that they mediate regenerative propagation of low threshold spikes, typical of, but not exclusive to, sleep states, resulting in global dendritic Ca(2+) influx. In contrast, actively backpropagating action potentials, typical of wakefulness, result in smaller Ca(2+) influxes that can temporally summate to produce dendritic Ca(2+) accumulations that are linearly related to firing frequency but spatially confined to proximal dendritic regions. Furthermore, dendritic Ca(2+) transients evoked by both action potentials and low-threshold spikes are shaped by Ca(2+) uptake by sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPases but do not rely on Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release. Our data demonstrate that thalamocortical neurons are endowed with intrinsic dendritic Ca(2+) signaling properties that are spatially and temporally modified in a behavioral state-dependent manner and suggest that backpropagating action potentials faithfully inform proximal sensory but not distal corticothalamic synapses of neuronal output, whereas corticothalamic synapses only "detect" Ca(2+) signals associated with low-threshold spikes.

SUBMITTER: Errington AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3044870 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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State-dependent firing determines intrinsic dendritic Ca2+ signaling in thalamocortical neurons.

Errington Adam C AC Renger John J JJ Uebele Victor N VN Crunelli Vincenzo V

The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience 20101101 44

Activity-dependent dendritic Ca(2+) signals play a critical role in multiple forms of nonlinear cellular output and plasticity. In thalamocortical neurons, despite the well established spatial separation of sensory and cortical inputs onto proximal and distal dendrites, respectively, little is known about the spatiotemporal dynamics of intrinsic dendritic Ca(2+) signaling during the different state-dependent firing patterns that are characteristic of these neurons. Here we demonstrate that T-typ ...[more]

PMID: 21048143

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Project description:KEY POINTS:Neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain which secrete the peptide kisspeptin are important regulators of reproduction, and normal reproductive development. Electrical activity, in the form of action potentials, or spikes, leads to secretion of peptides and neurotransmitters, influencing the activity of downstream neurons; in kisspeptin neurons, this activity is highly irregular, but the mechanism of this is not known. In this study, we show that irregularity depends on the presence of a particular type of potassium ion channel in the membrane, which opens transiently in response to electrical excitation. The results contribute to understanding how kisspeptin neurons generate and time their membrane potential spikes, and how reliable this process is. Improved understanding of the activity of kisspeptin neurons, and how it shapes their secretion of peptides, is expected to lead to better treatment for reproductive dysfunction and disorders of reproductive development. ABSTRACT:Kisspeptin neurons in the hypothalamus are critically involved in reproductive function, via their effect on GnRH neuron activity and consequent gonadotropin release. Kisspeptin neurons show an intrinsic irregularity of firing, but the mechanism of this remains unclear. To address this, we carried out targeted whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus (Kiss1Arc ), in brain slices isolated from adult male Kiss-Cre:tdTomato mice. Cells fired irregularly in response to constant current stimuli, with a wide range of spike time variability, and prominent subthreshold voltage fluctuations. In voltage clamp, both a persistent sodium (NaP) current and a fast transient (A-type) potassium current were apparent, activating at potentials just below the threshold for spiking. These currents have also previously been described in irregular-spiking cortical interneurons, in which the A-type current, mediated by Kv4 channels, interacts with NaP current to generate complex dynamics of the membrane potential, and irregular firing. In Kiss1Arc neurons, A-type current was blocked by phrixotoxin, a specific blocker of Kv4.2/4.3 channels, and consistent expression of Kv4.2 transcripts was detected by single-cell RT-PCR. In addition, firing irregularity was correlated to the density of A-type current in the membrane. Using conductance injection, we demonstrated that adding Kv4-like potassium conductance (gKv4 ) to a cell produces a striking increase in firing irregularity, and excitability is reduced, while subtracting gKv4 has the opposite effects. Thus, we propose that Kv4 interacting dynamically with NaP is a key determinant of the irregular firing behaviour of Kiss1Arc neurons, shaping their physiological function in gonadotropin release.

Dataset Information

State-dependent firing determines intrinsic dendritic Ca2+ signaling in thalamocortical neurons.

Publications

State-dependent firing determines intrinsic dendritic Ca2+ signaling in thalamocortical neurons.

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