title: Estimation of the activation and kinetic properties of I(Na) and I(K) from the time course of the action potential.
abstract: A detailed knowledge of the quantitative properties of the currents I(Na) and I(K) underlying the action potential is essential for a deeper understanding of neuronal excitatory processes. However, it is not always possible or practical to perform voltage-clamp measurements that usually provide the necessary data. In this paper, we present a method by which the activation and kinetic properties of these currents can be estimated from current-clamp data, more precisely from the time course of the action potential, provided some additional electrophysiological properties of the neurone are a priori known. We report results from thalamocortical neurones and a cortical pyramidal cell, and suggest that the method will work with other types of neurones, if their action potentials are primarily shaped by I(Na) and I(K).
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Physiology Unit, Cardiff University, P.O. Box 911, CF10 3US, Cardiff, UK. toth@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: T I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Crunelli
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D007700:Kinetics; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000379:methods*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels