Specific and efficient synaptic interactions mediated by potassium ions.
Specific physiological interactions among neurons are traditionally attributed to chemical and electrotonic synapses. In the present review we describe a specific synaptic potential that is mediated by K+. It is speculated that this mode of communication might be prevalent in the CNS and has not yet been identified as such in other systems, because the K+ synapse is very similar phenomenologically to chemical and electrotonic synapses. We describe the concept and some experimental manipulations needed to discern the K+ synapse.
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D001464:Barium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002586:Cesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D007477:Ions; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D010526:Periplaneta; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D007477:Ions; D002586:Cesium; D001464:Barium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium