title: Measurement of voltage-gated potassium currents in identified spinally-projecting sympathetic neurones of the paraventricular nucleus.
abstract: The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus modulates cardiovascular function via a sub-population of neurones which project directly to sympathetic centres of the spinal cord. Identification and patch-clamp recording from these neurones is difficult, however, because of the complex organisation and neuronal heterogeneity of the PVN. We report here on methods for the in vitro recording of voltage-gated potassium channel (K(V)) currents from those neurones within the PVN which project to the intermediolateral column of the rat spinal cord, and are believed to directly modulate cardiovascular function. We show K(V) channel currents of spinally projecting neurones to be slowly inactivating (tau >> 100 ms) and weakly sensitive to TEA (K(d)>10 mM). These methods will be useful for the study of K(V) and other ion channel modulation in spinally projecting neurones of the PVN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. r.barrett-jolley@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barrett-Jolley
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pyner
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Coote
mesh_terms: D000320:Adrenergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010286:Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D013266:Stilbamidines; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: C049774:2-hydroxy-4,4'-diamidinostilbene, methanesulfonate salt; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013266:Stilbamidines; D019789:Tetraethylammonium