title: Electrophysiological properties and their modulation by norepinephrine in the ambiguus neurons of the guinea pig.
abstract: Electrophysiological properties of guinea pig ambiguus (AMB) neurons were studied in a brainstem slice preparation. During subthreshold depolarization AMB neurons displayed an early slow depolarization and a late outward rectification both of which were blocked by replacing Ca2+ with Co2+ in the extracellular solution. AMB neurons showed hyperpolarizing inward rectification which was blocked by extracellular Cs+ and is likely caused by the activation of Ih: In 58% (n = 49) of AMB neurons spike firing was restricted to the early phase of a long-lasting depolarizing current injection (phasic firing). The remaining AMB neurons showed repetitive firing throughout the depolarization (tonic firing). A Ca(2+)-mediated K+ current (IK(Ca)) caused an afterhyperpolarization that followed both single and repetitive spike firing. IK(Ca) also controlled the firing pattern in both types of firing, especially in the phasic firing. Norepinephrine (NE) blocked both the hyperpolarizing inward rectification and the Ca(2+)-dependent AHP. These effects of NE were antagonized by propranolol. It is proposed that the blockade of IK(Ca) and Ih contribute to the improvement of the 'signal-to-noise ratio' by NE in AMB neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mie University, Tsu Mie, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muramatsu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asahara
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011433:Propranolol; D009638:Norepinephrine