title: The differentiation of excitability in embryonic chick limb motoneurons.
abstract: The well-documented role of neuromuscular activity as a regulator of motoneuron and muscle development raises important questions about the differentiation of excitability in motoneurons. We have recently described changes in expression of voltage-dependent calcium currents that take place during neuromuscular development in the chick embryo (McCobb et al., 1989). We now report similar analyses, using whole-cell patch-recording methods, of the major currents underlying action potential generation in the same motoneurons. Studies were conducted on identified hindlimb motoneurons isolated from the spinal cord at 3 very different stages of chick hindlimb development. Motoneurons could generate overshooting action potentials at the earliest stage studied [embryonic day 4 (E4)]. However, large changes in densities of several voltage-dependent ionic currents occurred thereafter. E6 and E11 motoneurons had progressively larger INa densities and, consequently, greater action potential amplitudes. Densities of 2 potassium currents, Ik and IA, increased on separate schedules. The relatively late and much larger increase in IA resulted in a substantial developmental decline in action potential duration. These changes, which will greatly affect motoneuron output to muscle by affecting Ca2+ entry through voltage-gated channels, occur at the same time that activity-dependent developmental changes occur in the neuromuscular system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McCobb
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Beam
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000294:innervation; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D015761:4-Aminopyridine