scholarly journals Simulation and calculation of the contribution of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels to action potentials

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-224
Author(s):  
Liping Liao ◽  
Xianguang Lin ◽  
Jielin Hu ◽  
Xin Wu ◽  
Xiaofei Yang ◽  
...  

The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channel, which mediates the influx of cations, has an important role in action potential generation. In this article, we describe the contribution of the HCN channel to action potential generation. We simulated several common ion channels in neuron membranes based on data from rat dorsal root ganglion cells and modeled the action potential. The ion channel models employed in this paper were based on the Markov model. After modifying and calibrating these models, we compared the simulated action potential curves under the presence and absence of an HCN channel and calculated that the proportional contribution of the HCN channel in the potential recovery phase was 33.39%. This result indicates that the HCN channel is critical in assisting membrane potential recovery from a hyperpolarized state to a resting state. Furthermore, we showed how the HCN channel modifies the firing of the action potential using mathematic modeling. Our results indicated that although the loss of the HCN channel made recovery of the membrane potential more difficult from the most negative point to resting in comparison with the control, the firing rate of the action potential increased in certain circumstances. We present a novel explanation for the HCN channels? mechanism in neuron action potential generation using mathematical models.

2005 ◽  
Vol 289 (3) ◽  
pp. G501-G507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgi V. Petkov ◽  
Onesmo B. Balemba ◽  
Mark T. Nelson ◽  
Gary M. Mawe

The action potential in gallbladder smooth muscle (GBSM) is caused by Ca2+ entry through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCC), which contributes to the GBSM contractions. Action potential generation in GBSM is critically dependent on the resting membrane potential (about −50 mV), which is ∼35 mV more positive of the K+ equilibrium potential. We hypothesized that a tonic, depolarizing conductance is present in GBSM and contributes to the regulation of the resting membrane potential and action potential frequency. GBSM cells were isolated from guinea pig gallbladders, and the whole cell patch-camp technique was used to record membrane currents. After eliminating the contribution of VDCC and K+ channels, we identified a novel spontaneously active cation conductance ( Icat) in GBSM. This Icat was mediated predominantly by influx of Na+. Na+ substitution with N-methyl-d-glucamine (NMDG), a large relatively impermeant cation, caused a negative shift in the reversal potential of the ramp current and reduced the amplitude of the inward current at −50 mV by 65%. Membrane potential recordings with intracellular microelectrodes or in current-clamp mode of the patch-clamp technique indicated that the inhibition of Icat conductance by NMDG is associated with membrane hyperpolarization and inhibition of action potentials. Extracellular Ca2+, Mg2+, and Gd3+ attenuated the Icat in GBSM. Muscarinic stimulation did not activate the Icat. Our results indicate that, in GBSM, an Na+-permeable channel contributes to the maintenance of the resting membrane potential and action potential generation and therefore plays a critical role in the regulation of GBSM excitability and contractility.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (6) ◽  
pp. C1246-C1257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin S. Thorneloe ◽  
Mark T. Nelson

Urinary bladder smooth muscle (UBSM) elicits depolarizing action potentials, which underlie contractile events of the urinary bladder. The resting membrane potential of UBSM is approximately −40 mV and is critical for action potential generation, with hyperpolarization reducing action potential frequency. We hypothesized that a tonic, depolarizing conductance was present in UBSM, functioning to maintain the membrane potential significantly positive to the equilibrium potential for K+ ( EK; −85 mV) and thereby facilitate action potentials. Under conditions eliminating the contribution of K+ and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, and with a clear separation of cation- and Cl−-selective conductances, we identified a novel background conductance ( Icat) in mouse UBSM cells. Icat was mediated predominantly by the influx of Na+, although a small inward Ca2+ current was detectable with Ca2+ as the sole cation in the bathing solution. Extracellular Ca2+, Mg2+, and Gd3+ blocked Icat in a voltage-dependent manner, with Ki values at −40 mV of 115, 133, and 1.3 μM, respectively. Although UBSM Icat is extensively blocked by physiological extracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+, a tonic, depolarizing Icat was detected at −40 mV. In addition, inhibition of Icat demonstrated a hyperpolarization of the UBSM membrane potential and decreased the amplitude of phasic contractions of isolated UBSM strips. We suggest that Icat contributes tonically to the depolarization of the UBSM resting membrane potential, facilitating action potential generation and thereby a maintenance of urinary bladder tone.


2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 735-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Atkinson ◽  
Stephen R. Williams

The dendritic tree of layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons spans the neocortical layers, allowing the integration of intra- and extracortical synaptic inputs. Here we investigate the postnatal development of the integrative properties of rat L5 pyramidal neurons using simultaneous whole cell recording from the soma and distal apical dendrite. In young (P9-10) neurons, apical dendritic excitatory synaptic input powerfully drove action potential output by efficiently summating at the axonal site of action potential generation. In contrast, in mature (P25-29) neurons, apical dendritic excitatory input provided little direct depolarization at the site of action potential generation but was integrated locally in the apical dendritic tree leading to the generation of dendritic spikes. Consequently, over the first postnatal month the fraction of action potentials driven by apical dendritic spikes increased dramatically. This developmental remodeling of the integrative operations of L5 pyramidal neurons was controlled by a >10-fold increase in the density of apical dendritic Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide (HCN)-gated channels found in cell-attached patches or by immunostaining for the HCN channel isoform HCN1. Thus an age-dependent increase in apical dendritic HCN channel density ensures that L5 pyramidal neurons develop from compact temporal integrators to compartmentalized integrators of basal and apical dendritic synaptic input.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Grieb ◽  
Sivaranjan Uppala ◽  
Gal Sapir ◽  
David Shaul ◽  
J. Moshe Gomori ◽  
...  

AbstractDirect and real-time monitoring of cerebral metabolism exploiting the drastic increase in sensitivity of hyperpolarized 13C-labeled metabolites holds the potential to report on neural activity via in-cell metabolic indicators. Here, we followed the metabolic consequences of curbing action potential generation and ATP-synthase in rat cerebrum slices, induced by tetrodotoxin and oligomycin, respectively. The results suggest that pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity in the cerebrum is 4.4-fold higher when neuronal firing is unperturbed. The PDH activity was 7.4-fold reduced in the presence of oligomycin, and served as a pharmacological control for testing the ability to determine changes to PDH activity in viable cerebrum slices. These findings may open a path towards utilization of PDH activity, observed by magnetic resonance of hyperpolarized 13C-labeled pyruvate, as a reporter of neural activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 3044-3050 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinushi Weerasinghe ◽  
Parvathi Menon ◽  
Steve Vucic

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels mediate differences in sensory and motor axonal excitability at different thresholds in animal models. Importantly, HCN channels are responsible for voltage-gated inward rectifying ( Ih) currents activated during hyperpolarization. The Ih currents exert a crucial role in determining the resting membrane potential and have been implicated in a variety of neurological disorders, including neuropathic pain. In humans, differences in biophysical properties of motor and sensory axons at different thresholds remain to be elucidated and could provide crucial pathophysiological insights in peripheral neurological diseases. Consequently, the aim of this study was to characterize sensory and motor axonal function at different threshold. Median nerve motor and sensory axonal excitability studies were undertaken in 15 healthy subjects (45 studies in total). Tracking targets were set to 20, 40, and 60% of maximum for sensory and motor axons. Hyperpolarizing threshold electrotonus (TEh) at 90–100 ms was significantly increased in lower threshold sensory axons times ( F = 11.195, P < 0.001). In motor axons, the hyperpolarizing current/threshold ( I/ V) gradient was significantly increased in lower threshold axons ( F = 3.191, P < 0.05). The minimum I/ V gradient was increased in lower threshold motor and sensory axons. In conclusion, variation in the kinetics of HCN isoforms could account for the findings in motor and sensory axons. Importantly, assessing the function of HCN channels in sensory and motor axons of different thresholds may provide insights into the pathophysiological processes underlying peripheral neurological diseases in humans, particularly focusing on the role of HCN channels with the potential of identifying novel treatment targets. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic-nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels, which underlie inward rectifying currents ( Ih), appear to mediate differences in sensory and motor axonal properties. Inward rectifying currents are increased in lower threshold motor and sensory axons, although different HCN channel isoforms appear to underlie these changes. While faster activating HCN channels seem to underlie Ih changes in sensory axons, slower activating HCN isoforms appear to be mediating the differences in Ih conductances in motor axons of different thresholds. The differences in HCN gating properties could explain the predilection for dysfunction of sensory and motor axons in specific neurological diseases.


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