The site of action potential initiation in cerebellar Purkinje neurons.
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.
Clark
Beverley A
BA
Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, Department of Physiology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
Monsivais
Pablo
P
Branco
Tiago
T
London
Michael
M
Häusser
Michael
M
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
C490614:Ank3 protein, rat; D017487:Ankyrins; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; C013411:biocytin; D008239:Lysine