HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 96/5/2670    most recent 00609.2006v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Smith, M. Articles by Perrier, J.-F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Smith, M. Articles by Perrier, J.-F.

Intrinsic Properties Shape the Firing Pattern of Ventral Horn Interneurons From the Spinal Cord of the Adult Turtle

Department of Medical Physiology, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Submitted 12 June 2006; accepted in final form 3 August 2006

Interneurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord play a central role in motor control. In adult vertebrates, their intrinsic properties are poorly described because of the lack of in vitro preparations from the spinal cord of mature mammals. Taking advantage of the high resistance to anoxia in the adult turtle, we used a slice preparation from the spinal cord. We used the whole cell blind patch-clamp technique to record from ventral horn interneurons. We characterized their firing patterns in response to depolarizing current pulses and found that all the interneurons fired repetitively. They displayed bursting, adapting, delayed, accelerating, or oscillating firing patterns. By combining electrophysiological and pharmacological tests, we showed that interneurons expressed slow inward rectification, plateau potential, voltage-sensitive transient outward rectification, and low-threshold spikes. These results demonstrate a diversity of intrinsic properties that may enable a rich repertoire of activity patterns in the network of ventral horn interneurons.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Berkowitz Physiology and Morphology of Shared and Specialized Spinal Interneurons for Locomotion and Scratching J Neurophysiol, June 1, 2008; 99(6): 2887 - 2901. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. S. Jones and M. Ariel Morphology, Intrinsic Membrane Properties, and Rotation-Evoked Responses of Trochlear Motoneurons in the Turtle J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2008; 99(3): 1187 - 1200. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. L. Tan, H. P. Theeuwes, L. Feenstra, and J.G.G. Borst Membrane Properties and Firing Patterns of Inferior Colliculus Neurons: An In Vivo Patch-Clamp Study in Rodents J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2007; 98(1): 443 - 453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. D. Theiss, J. J. Kuo, and C. J. Heckman Persistent inward currents in rat ventral horn neurones J. Physiol., April 15, 2007; 580(2): 507 - 522. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]