title: Calcium currents in respiratory neurons of the cat in vivo.
abstract: Under in vivo conditions, periodic burst discharges of medullary respiratory neurons of mature cat typically start with a rebound depolarization when inhibition through antagonistic neurons stops. This rebound can be blocked by ionophoretically applied extracellular Cd2+. A similar Cd(2+)-sensitive rebound depolarization is triggered by hyperpolarizing current pulses even in the presence of extracellular tetrodotoxin (TTX) and tetraethylammonium (TEA). In current-clamp mode, the current/voltage (I/V) curves rectify outwardly at positive voltages, and this rectification is blocked by Cd2+. Intracellular injection of the L-type Ca(2+)-channel blocker methoxy-verapamil changes the spontaneous activity patterns of neurons. In those neurons that typically show augmenting patterns, the membrane depolarization is slowed down, while in those neurons that have a declining pattern, voltage changes become augmenting. Voltage-clamp measurements reveal a transient, low-voltage-activated T-type Ca2+ current. The current is deinactivated at -100 mV and almost completely inactivated at -60 mV. Depolarizing voltage commands starting from more positive holding potentials evoke sustained Ca2+ currents that reach a maximum at 0 mV. The sustained L-type Ca2+ currents are completely blocked by extracellular Cd2+. We conclude that low- and high-voltage-activated Ca2+ currents are expressed in all types of respiratory neurons and play an essential role in rhythm generation and pattern formation in adult cats in vivo.
authors.affiliation: II Physiol. Inst., Univ. Goettingen, Germany.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pierrefiche
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haji
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000294:innervation*
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium