title: Mechanisms underlying activation of the slow AHP in rat hippocampal neurons.
abstract: The firing of a train of action potentials in hippocampal pyramidal neurons is terminated by an afterhyperpolarization (AHP) that displays two main components; the medium AHP (I(mAHP)), lasting a few hundred milliseconds and the slow AHP (I(sAHP)), that has a duration of several seconds. It is unclear how much of I(mAHP) is dependent on the entry of calcium ions (Ca(2+)), whereas it is accepted that I(sAHP) is caused by activation of Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels. There has been controversy regarding the subcellular localization and mechanism of activation of these channels. Whole-cell recordings from CA1 neurons in the hippocampal slice preparation showed that inhibition of L-type, but not N-, P/Q-, T- and R-type Ca(2+) channels, reduced both I(mAHP) and I(sAHP). Inhibition of both AHP components by L-type Ca(2+) channel antagonists was not complete, with I(sAHP) being significantly more sensitive than I(mAHP). Somatic extracellular ionophoresis of BAPTA during I(sAHP) caused a transient inhibition, but had no effect on I(mAHP). Cell-attached patch recordings from the soma of CA1 neurons within a slice displayed channels that produced an ensemble waveform reminiscent of I(sAHP) when the patch was subjected to a train of action potential waveforms. The channels were Ca(2+)-activated, exhibited a limiting slope conductance of 19 pS and were not observed in dendritic membrane patches. These data demonstrate that the I(sAHP) is somatic in origin and arises from continued Ca(2+) entry through functionally co-localized L-type channels.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and MRC Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
authors: Pedro A
authors: PA
authors: Lima
authors: Neil V
authors: NV
authors: Marrion
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007478:Iontophoresis / Q000379:methods; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002614:Chelating Agents; D004533:Egtazic Acid; C025603:1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; D002118:Calcium