title: Voltage- and Ca2+-dependent burst generation in neuroendocrine Dahlgren cells in the teleost Platichthys flesus.
abstract: The neuroendocrine Type 1 Dahlgren cells of the caudal neurosecretory system of the flounder display characteristic bursting activity, which may increase secretion efficiency. The firing activity pattern in these cells was voltage-dependent; when progressively depolarized, cells moved from silent (approximately -70 mV), through bursting and phasic to tonic firing (< -65 mV). Brief (10 s) evoked bursts of spikes were followed by a slow after-depolarization (ADP; amplitude up to 10 mV, duration 10-200 s), which was also voltage-dependent and could trigger a prolonged burst. The ADP was significantly reduced in the absence of external Ca(2+) ions or the presence of the L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker, nifedipine. BayK 8644 (which increases L-type channel open times) significantly increased ADP duration, whereas the Ca(2+)-activated nonselective cation channel blocker, flufenamic acid, had no effect. Pharmacological blockade of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels, using apamin and charybdotoxin, increased the duration of both ADP and evoked bursts. However, action potential waveform was unaffected by either apamin/charybdotoxin, nifedipine, BayK 8644 or removal of external Ca(2+). The short duration (approximately 100 ms), hyperpolarization-activated, postspike depolarizing afterpotentials (DAP), were significantly reduced by nifedipine. We propose that long duration ADPs underlie bursts and that short duration DAPs play a role in modulation of spike frequency.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, 1.124 Stopford Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Brierley
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Riccardi
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Balment
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: McCrohan
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005432:Flounder / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000502:physiology; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D026941:Sodium Channel Blockers; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester