ISSN:
1573-6830
Keywords:
fatty acid
;
2-decenoic acid
;
valeric acid
;
excitability
;
negative resistance
;
bursting neuron
;
beating neuron
;
current-voltage characteristics
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Summary 1. The effects of short-chain fatty acids on the membrane excitability, currentvoltage (I-V) characteristics, and cell volume ofHelix pomatia neurons were studied. 2. 2-Decenoic acid (DA), having 10 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain, suppressed the excitability of bursting neurons RPal (Sakharov and Salanki, 1969) for 30–60 min, while valeric acid (VA), having 5 carbon atoms, had no significant effect on excitability. 3. DA had three different effects on the excitability of beating neurons: in some neurons DA suppressed excitability as in bursting neurons; in a second type of neuron DA had a negligible effect on excitability; and in the neuron located near RPa1 DA had a pentylentetrazol (PTZ)-like effect, i.e., it converted the discharge of the neuron from beating to bursting. 4. DA decreased the peak value of the current, inducing a negative-resistance region in theI-V curve of the bursting neuron without any change in the level of the voltage at which the current reaches its maximal value. 5. DA inhibited the hyperpolarization induced by activation of the Na+ pump, tested after preliminary enrichment of neurons with Na+ ions by incubation in a potassium-free solution for 20 min. 6. DA caused a swelling of the neuron by about 10% which was independent of the Na+ pump. In all the above-mentioned cases VA had no significant effect.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00711067
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