Intracellular recordings from pineal cells in tissue culture: membrane properties and response to norepinephrine.
Membrane properties and responsiveness to norepinephrine were studied in pinealocytes in tissue culture using both conventional and whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Action potentials could be recorded in normal and tetrodotoxin-containing saline. Both outward and inward rectification were prominent. Under voltage-clamp, depolarizing voltage steps evoked time-dependent outward currents showing no inactivation over time. Hyperpolarizing steps evoked slowly developing inward currents which did not inactivate. If the holding potential was sufficiently negative, depolarizing steps also elicited a transient outward current. Iontophoresis of norepinephrine produced a hyperpolarization in 30% of cells tested.
Freschi
J E
JE
Parfitt
A G
AG
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D007478:Iontophoresis; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology
D009638:Norepinephrine