Evidence for a novel bursting mechanism in rodent trigeminal neurons.
We investigated bursting behavior in rodent trigeminal neurons. The essential mechanisms operating in the biological systems were determined based on testable predictions of mathematical models. Bursting activity in trigeminal motoneurons is consistent with a traditional mechanism employing a region of negative slope resistance in the steady-state current-voltage relationship (Smith, T. G. 1975. Nature. 253:450-452). However, the bursting dynamics of trigeminal interneurons is inconsistent with the traditional mechanisms, and is far more effectively explained by a new model of bursting that exploits the unique stability properties associated with spike threshold (Baer, S. M., T. Erneux, and J. Rinzel. 1989. SIAM J. Appl. Math. 49:55-71).
Del Negro
C A
CA
Department of Physiological Science, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1568, USA.
Hsiao
C F
CF
Chandler
S H
SH
Garfinkel
A
A
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007395:Interneurons / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014278:Trigeminal Nuclei / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*