Off-oscillation in hair cell membrane is correlated with the decremental response at the hair cell-afferent fibre synapse in the goldfish sacculus.
In this study, we examined the decremental response in the hair cell-afferent fibre synapse of goldfish. This decremental response is a transient reduction in sound-evoked EPSPs associated with a step reduction in sound intensity. To determine its presynaptic correlates, a patch clamp study was performed on oscillatory-type hair cells isolated from the sacculus of goldfish. Injection of depolarizing current produced a damped oscillation in the membrane potential of such cells. When the current intensity was reduced in steps, instead of simply being turned off, very marked dips were produced as off-oscillation in the hair cell membrane potential. These dips correlated with the decremental response in EPSPs.
Sugihara
I
I
Department of Physiology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine, Japan.
Furukawa
T
T
D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006054:Goldfish / Q000502:physiology*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques