The effects of leucine-enkephalin on the membrane potential and activity of rat respiratory center neurons in vitro.
Studies of transverse slices of Wistar rat brainstem using a patch clamp technique addressed the effects of the opioid peptide leucine-enkephalin (10 nM-1 microM) on the membrane potential and pattern of spontaneous activity of neurons in two parts of the respiratory center: the ventrolateral area of the solitary tract nucleus and the pre-Bötzinger complex. Leucine-enkephalin induced membrane hyperpolarization of respiratory center neurons and decreased the level of spike activity in spontaneously active cells. In pre-Bötzinger complex neurons showing a burst pattern of activity, leucine-enkephalin decreased the burst frequency, and two cells showed a transition from burst activity to tonic activity. These results provide evidence that the mechanism of the central respiratory activity of leucine-enkephalin results from its direct action on the membranes of respiratory center neurons.
Inyushkin
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AN
Samara State University, 1 Academician Pavlov Street, 443011, Samara, Russia.
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012125:Respiratory Center / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D017552:Solitary Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D004743:Enkephalin, Leucine