title: Whole cell recording from lobster olfactory receptor cells: responses to current and odor stimulation.
abstract: 1. The basic electrical properties of olfactory (antennule) receptor cells were studied in an in situ preparation of the spiny lobster using whole cell patch-clamp recording. 2. The current-voltage relationship of the cells was linear for membrane potentials between -150 and -40 mV and rectified at more positive membrane potentials. The input resistance at rest averaged 508 M omega. The cells displayed two time constants, with mean values of 29.8 and 8.2 ms. 3. Depolarizing current steps elicited fast, overshooting action potentials at a mean threshold of -32 mV from an imposed resting membrane potential of -65 mV. The action potentials were tetrodotoxin (TTX) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) sensitive, suggesting they are typical sodium/potassium action potentials. 4. Odor stimulation evoked slow, dose-dependent, depolarizing receptor potentials up to 50 mV in amplitude. In approximately 30% of cells tested, these led to repetitive spiking when the cells were depolarized beyond -45 to -30 mV. The amplitude of the receptor potential was graded as a linear function of the logarithm of the odor concentration. 5. The amplitude of the receptor potential varied linearly with the membrane potential between -70 and -30 mV. Extrapolated reversal potentials appeared to be normally distributed around a mean value of -3.6 mV. 6. The results collectively indicate that lobster olfactory receptor cells have electrical properties similar to, but not necessarily identical with, those currently envisaged for olfactory receptor cells in other species.
authors.affiliation: Whitney Laboratory, University of Florida, St. Augustine 32086.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schmiedel-Jakob
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ache
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008121:Nephropidae; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009812:Odorants; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D019789:Tetraethylammonium