When complex neuronal structures may not matter.
Much work has explored animal-to-animal variability and compensation in ion channel expression. Yet, little is known regarding the physiological consequences of morphological variability. We quantify animal-to-animal variability in cable lengths (CV = 0.4) and branching patterns in the Gastric Mill (GM) neuron, an identified neuron type with highly-conserved physiological properties in the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) ofCancer borealis.We examined passive GM electrotonic structure by measuring the amplitudes and apparent reversal potentials (Erevs) of inhibitory responses evoked with focal glutamate photo-uncaging in the presence of TTX. Apparent Erevs were relatively invariant across sites (mean CV ± SD = 0.04 ± 0.01; 7-20 sites in each of 10 neurons), which ranged between 100-800 µm from the somatic recording site. Thus, GM neurons are remarkably electrotonically compact (estimated λ > 1.5 mm). Electrotonically compact structures, in consort with graded transmission, provide an elegant solution to observed morphological variability in the STG.
Volen Center, Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.
Adriane G
0000-0002-3224-6502
AG
Otopalik
Volen Center, Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.
Alexander C
AC
Sutton
Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.
Matthew
M
Banghart
Volen Center, Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, United States.
Eve
0000-0001-9632-5448
E
Marder
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D003386:Brachyura; D017952:Ganglia, Invertebrate / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000070559:Gizzard, Non-avian / Q000294:innervation*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*
Cancer borealis; electrotonus; morphology; neuroscience; stomatogastric ganglion; variability