title: The site of action potential initiation in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.
abstract: Knowledge of the site of action potential initiation is essential for understanding how synaptic input is converted into neuronal output. Previous studies have shown that the lowest-threshold site for initiation of action potentials is in the axon. Here we use recordings from visualized rat cerebellar Purkinje cell axons to localize the site of initiation to a well-defined anatomical structure: the first node of Ranvier, which normally forms at the first axonal branch point.
authors.affiliation: Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Physiology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Beverley A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monsivais
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Branco
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Häusser
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D017487:Ankyrins / Q000378:metabolism; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000166:cytology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008239:Lysine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D011901:Ranvier's Nodes / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000528:radiation effects; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C490614:Ank3 protein, rat; D017487:Ankyrins; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; C013411:biocytin; D008239:Lysine