Bidirectional compartmental approximation of realistic nerve cell structures.
Passive electrotonic activity of anatomically complex nerve cells has been computed through a simplified anisotropic "smoothing" of the original structures. The algorithm for this "smoothing" involves a recursive matching of the amplitude, zero and pole of the input impedances for each segment. This algorithm can be used for both spatially and/or electrically inhomogeneous cables. The directional sensitivity of the voltage transfer in non-smooth dendrites has been characterized by a decomposition which reveals the bidirectional segmentation of the core geometry according to the opposite wave fronts of electronic potentials in dendrites. The impedance diagrams can be used to estimate the goodness of the whole procedure in the frequency domain. The bidirectional segmentation of the core geometry may serve as a basis of the compartment simulations of those excitable nerve cells where the voltage spread is modulated by irregular dendritic structures, such as spines.
Pongrácz
F
F
2nd Department of Anatomy, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary.
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008433:Mathematics; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*