Cellular Neurophysiology of the Rat Suprachiasmatic Nucleus: Electrical Properties, Neurotransmission, and Mechanisms of Synchronization
Abstract
The general aim of this research has been to understand the electrophysiological properties and synaptic mechanisms of suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons. Our earlier experiments included sharp-intracellular- electrode analyses of amino-acid-mediated synaptic transmission and intrinsic membrane properties, focussing on the degree to which SCN neurons are homogenous or heterogenous. This work showed that GABA (in addition to glutamate) plays a critical role in fast synaptic transmission in the SCN, and that SCN neurons are not homogenous in terms of their electrophysiological properties, although they could not be grouped into distinct neuron classes. More recently, multiple-unit extracellular recordings have shown synchronous bursts of action potentials in the SCN in low (Ca(2+)) solutions containing amino-acid-receptor antagonists demonstrated to block chemical synapses, thus suggesting that SCN neurons can communicate through nonsynaptic mechanisms. Our more recent studies using whole- cell patch-clamp techniques in the thin-slice preparation have shown evidence for local GABA-ergic communication among SCN neurons, and have begun to define the different types of K(+) currents present in SCN neurons
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 29, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA284111
Entities
People
- F. E. Dudek
Organizations
- Colorado State University