title: Injection of digitally synthesized synaptic conductance transients to measure the integrative properties of neurons.
abstract: A novel technique was developed for injecting a time-varying conductance into a neuron, to allow quantitative measurement of the processing of synaptic inputs. In current-clamp recording mode, the membrane potential was sampled continuously and used to calculate and update the level of injected current within 60 microseconds, using a real-time computer, so as to mimic the electrical effect of a given conductance transient. Cellular responses to synthetic conductance transients modelled on the fast (non-N-methyl-D-aspartate) phase of the glutamatergic postsynaptic potential were measured in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.
authors.affiliation: Physiological Laboratory, University of Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005971:Glutamates / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D007267:Injections; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid