Abstract
THE mechanisms underlying endogenous rhythmical electrical activity of some molluscan neurones are not completely understood. Their membranes have several significant properties: (1) rapidly inactivating Na+ and Ca2+ conductances associated with spikes1–5; (2) voltage-dependent K+ conductances (GK) (delayed1,6 and anomalous rectification3,7); and (3) a negative slope region (NSR) in the steady-state, voltage clamp current–voltage (I–V) curve8,9. Although (1) is unnecessary for bursting pacemaker potentials (BPPs)4 the relationship of (2) and (3) to the generation of BPPs has not been elucidated completely. We present here evidence that the NSR of the I–V curve is due to a voltage-dependent Na+ conductance (GNa) which inactivates incompletely and that BPPs depend on this conductance coupled to cyclical changes in GK.
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SMITH, T., BARKER, J. & GAINER, H. Requirements for bursting pacemaker potential activity in molluscan neurones. Nature 253, 450–452 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/253450a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/253450a0
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