title: 5-HT modulates multiple conductances in immature rat rostral ventrolateral medulla neurones in vitro.
abstract: 1. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were made from rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) neurones of brainstem slices from 8- to 12-day-old rats. In the presence of tetrodotoxin (0.5 microM), 5-HT (50 microM) elicited an outward current (I5-HT,outward) (10/44 neurones) associated with an increase in membrane conductance, and an inward current (I5-HT,inward) (29/44 neurones) accompanied by a decrease or no significant change in membrane conductance. 2. The steady-state I-V relationship of I5-HT,outward showed an inward rectification; the 5-HT-induced current, which reversed at -87.9 +/- 3.0 mV, was suppressed by 0.1 mM Ba2+. 3. Two types of steady-state I-V relationship for I5-HT,inward were noted: type I I5-HT,inward was characterized by a significant decrease in membrane conductance and reversed at a potential close to or negative to the theoretical K+ equilibrium potential (EK), -94 mV, in 8/17 neurones; type II I5-HT,inward was not associated with a significant change in membrane conductance and was relatively independent of membrane potential. 4. Both type I and type II I5-HT,inward were significantly reduced in a low [Na+]o solution. In this solution, I5-HT,inward decreased with hyperpolarization and had a linear steady-state I-V relationship with a reversal potential of approximately -110 mV. The reversal potential of type I I5-HT,inward shifted to about -80 mV as the [K+]o was increased from 3.1 to 7.0 mM in low [Na+]o solution. The type II I5-HT,inward did not reverse at the estimated EK in the same solution. 5. While not affected by externally applied Cs+ (1 mM), I5-HT,inward was significantly smaller in RVLM neurones patched with Cs+-containing electrodes; the current reversed at -11.9 +/- 6.4 mV in 8/15 responsive neurones. 6. It may be concluded that in rat RVLM neurones 5-HT increases an inwardly rectifying K+ conductance which may underlie the I5-HT, outward and that a combination of varying degrees of K+ conductance decrease and a Cs+-insensitive, non-selective cation conductance increase may account for the two types of conductance change associated with I5-HT,inward.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, Medical College of Ohio, 3000 Arlington Avenue, Toledo, OH 43699, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Dun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002586:Cesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017136:Ion Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002586:Cesium; D001464:Barium; D012701:Serotonin; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium