title: [Activation of the Mauthner cell by direct stimulation on vagus nerve in crucian carp].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the influence of the vagus nerve on the electrophysiological properties in the Mauthner cell soma and the relationship between soma and viscus.
  
  
  METHODS
  The microelectrode recording technique was used to explore the electrophysiological properties in the Mauthner cell when stimulating the right vagus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At lower stimulation strength a graded and compound excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP), formed by two components with lower amplitude, were recorded on the Mauthner cell in a crucian carp. As the intensity of stimulus increased, the amplitude became larger and lasting time longer. With the stimulations high enough, action potentials (AP) were evoked on the EPSP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) Action potential can be induced on M cell by a direct stimulation on vagus nerve, which is in controversy with previous reports. (2) The neural pathway projecting from vagus to M cell is composed of a set of neuronal chains with excitatory and/or inhibitory members, the activation of M cell depends on the relationship between excitatory and inhibitory neuron.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Capital University of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100054, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Li-Min
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps / Q000502:physiology*; D019706:Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*