Serotonin Modulates Oscillations of the Membrane Potential in Isolated Spinal Neurons from Lampreys

Studies were performed on spinal neurons from lampreys isolated by an enzymatic/mechanical method using pronase. The effects of 100 µM serotonin (5-HT) on membrane potential oscillations induced by a variety of excitatory amino acids were studied. 5-HT was found to depolarize branched cells (presumptive motoneurons and interneurons) by 2–6 mV without inducing membrane potential oscillations. However, when oscillations were already present because of an excitatory amino acid, 5-HT changed the parameters of these oscillations, increasing the amplitudes of all types of oscillations, increasing the frequency of irregular oscillations, and increasing the duration of the depolarization plateaus accompanied by action potentials. Serotonin modulation of the effects of excitatory amino acids and the electrical activity of cells in the neural locomotor network facilitates motor activity and leads to increases in the contraction of truncal muscles and more intense movements by the animal. The possible mechanisms of receptor coactivation are discussed, along with increases in action potential frequency and changes in the parameters of the locomotor rhythm

The Effects of Serotonin on Functionally Diverse Isolated Lamprey Spinal Cord Neurons

The experiments reported here showed that application of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) (100 µ M) did not induce any significant current through the membranes of any of the spinal neurons studied (n = 62). At the same time, the membranes of most motoneurons and interneurons (15 of 18) underwent slight depolarization (2–6 mV) in the presence of 5-HT, which was not accompanied by any change in the input resistance of the cells. Depolarization to 10–20 mV occurred in some cells (3 of 18) of these functional groups, this being accompanied by 20–60% decreases in input resistance. The same concentration of 5-HT induced transient low-amplitude depolarization of most sensory spinal neurons (dorsal sensory cells), this changing smoothly to long-term hyperpolarization by 2–7 mV. The input resistance of the cell membranes in these cases showed no significant change (n = 8). Data were obtained which provided a better understanding of the mechanism by which 5-HT modulates the activity of spinal neurons. Thus, 5-HT facilitates chemoreceptive currents induced by application of NMDA to motoneurons and interneurons, while the NMDA responses of dorsal sensory cells were decreased by 5-HT. 5-HT affected the post-spike afterresponses of neurons. 5-HT significantly decreased the amplitude of afterhyperpolarization arising at the end of the descending phase of action potentials in motoneurons and interneurons and increased the amplitude of afterdepolarization in these types of cells. In sensory spinal neurons, 5-HT had no great effect on post-spike afterresponses. The results obtained here support the suggestion that 5-HT significantly modulates the activity of spinal neurons of different functional types. 5-HT facilitates excitation induced by subthreshold depolarization in motoneurons and some interneurons, facilitating the generation of rhythmic discharges by decreasing afterhyperpolarization. In sensory cells, 5-HT enhances inhibition due to hyperpolarization, suppressing NMDA currents. The differences in the effects of 5-HT on functionally diverse neurons are presumed to be associated with the combination of different types of 5-HT receptors on the membranes of these types of spinal neurons

Calcium Currents and GABA\u3csub\u3eB\u3c/sub\u3e Receptors in the Dorsal Sensory Cells of the Lamprey Spinal Cord

Patch-clamp studies were performed on the isolated dorsal sensory cells of the spinal cords of three species of lamprey,Ichthyomyzon unicuspis, Petromyzon marinus, andLampetra fluviatilis, to measure changes in the amplitudes of calcium current induced by GABA and its specific antagonists and agonists. The experiments showed that GABA (4 mM) reduced the peak amplitude of the calcium current by 28.5±4.9%, with subsequent recovery to 96.2±9.2% of control (n=45). The GABAB agonist baclofen had similar effects. The GABAA agonists glycine and taurine had no effect on the Ca2+ current. The inhibitory effect of GABA was blocked by 2-hydroxysaclofen (a GABAB antagonist), but persisted in the presence of bicuculline (a GABAA antagonist). These results are evidence that the membranes of dorsal sensory cells contain GABAB receptors, which significantly increases our under-standing of the mechanisms of presynaptic inhibition in the spinal cords of the cyclostomata

The Effects of Baclofen on Calcium Channel Currents in Dorsal Sensory Cells of the Spinal Cord in the Lamprey

Dorsal sensory cells isolated from the spinal cord of the lamprey speciesIchthyomyzon unicuspis andLampetra fluviatilis were used for whole-cell patch-clamp studies of the effects of baclofen on calcium channel currents, evoked in conditions in which Na+, K+ currents were blocked, by depolarizing membranes from constant holding potentials of −100 or −80 mV to +30 mV. Ba ions were used as carriers of currents through calcium channels. These studies demonstrated that baclofen (0.5 mM) decreased the peak amplitude of the Ba2+ current by an average of 22.5±4.2% (n=12) in dorsal sensory cells of the lampreyIchthyomyzon unicuspis and by 28.4±3.3% in the dorsal sensory cells ofLampetra fluviatilis (n=25). The conductivity of dorsal sensory cell membranes in the presence of baclofen (and GABA) did not change. The blocking action of baclofen persisted in the presence of bicuculline (100 μM) and was lifted by addition of δ-aminovaleric acid and 2-hydroxysaclofen to the perfusing solution. These results are interpreted as evidence for the presence of GABAB receptors in dorsal sensory cell membranes. The data were compared with published results, and the question of the functional significance of GABAB receptors in the dorsal sensory cells (primary afferent cells) of cyclostomata is discussed