TY - JOUR
T1 - Electrical coupling and excitatory synaptic transmission between rhythmogenic respiratory neurons in the preBötzinger complex
AU - Rekling, J C
AU - Shao, X M
AU - Feldman, J L
N1 - Keywords: Action Potentials; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Carbenoxolone; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Gap Junctions; Halothane; Heptanol; Hypoglossal Nerve; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Motor Neurons; Octanols; Periodicity; Respiration; Respiratory Center; Synaptic Transmission
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Breathing pattern is postulated to be generated by brainstem neurons. However, determination of the underlying cellular mechanisms, and in particular the synaptic interactions between respiratory neurons, has been difficult. Here we used dual recordings from two distinct populations of brainstem respiratory neurons, hypoglossal (XII) motoneurons, and rhythmogenic (type-1) neurons in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC), the hypothesized site for respiratory rhythm generation, to determine whether electrical and chemical transmission is present. Using an in vitro brainstem slice preparation from newborn mice, we found that intracellularly recorded pairs of XII motoneurons and pairs of preBötC inspiratory type-1 neurons showed bidirectional electrical coupling. Coupling strength was low (<0.10), and the current that passed between two neurons was heavily filtered (corner frequency, <10 Hz). Dual recordings also demonstrated unidirectional excitatory chemical transmission (EPSPs of approximately 3 mV) between type-1 neurons. These data indicate that respiratory motor output from the brainstem involves gap junction-mediated current transfer between motoneurons. Furthermore, bidirectional electrical coupling and unidirectional excitatory chemical transmission are present between type-1 neurons in the preBötC and may be important for generation or modulation of breathing rhythm.
AB - Breathing pattern is postulated to be generated by brainstem neurons. However, determination of the underlying cellular mechanisms, and in particular the synaptic interactions between respiratory neurons, has been difficult. Here we used dual recordings from two distinct populations of brainstem respiratory neurons, hypoglossal (XII) motoneurons, and rhythmogenic (type-1) neurons in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC), the hypothesized site for respiratory rhythm generation, to determine whether electrical and chemical transmission is present. Using an in vitro brainstem slice preparation from newborn mice, we found that intracellularly recorded pairs of XII motoneurons and pairs of preBötC inspiratory type-1 neurons showed bidirectional electrical coupling. Coupling strength was low (<0.10), and the current that passed between two neurons was heavily filtered (corner frequency, <10 Hz). Dual recordings also demonstrated unidirectional excitatory chemical transmission (EPSPs of approximately 3 mV) between type-1 neurons. These data indicate that respiratory motor output from the brainstem involves gap junction-mediated current transfer between motoneurons. Furthermore, bidirectional electrical coupling and unidirectional excitatory chemical transmission are present between type-1 neurons in the preBötC and may be important for generation or modulation of breathing rhythm.
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 11090613
SN - 0270-6474
VL - 20
SP - RC113
JO - The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
JF - The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
IS - 23
ER -