TY - JOUR

T1 - Conditional intrinsic voltage oscillations in mature vertebrate neurons undergo specific changes in culture

AU - Guertin, Pierre A

AU - Hounsgaard, Jørn

PY - 2006/3/1

Y1 - 2006/3/1

N2 - Although intrinsic neuronal properties in invertebrates are well known to undergo specific adaptive changes in culture, long-term adaptation of similar properties in mature vertebrate neurons remain poorly understood. To investigate this, we used an organotypic slice preparation from the spinal cord of adult turtles maintainable for several weeks in culture conditions. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced-tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant voltage oscillations in motoneurons were approximately 10 times faster in culture than in acute preparations. Oscillations in culture were abolished by NMDA receptor antagonists or by high extracellular Mg2+ concentrations. However, in contrast with results from motoneurons in the acute slice, NMDA-induced oscillations in culture did not depend on CaV1.3 channel activation as they still remained after nifedipine application. Other CaV1.3 channel-mediated properties such as metabotropic receptor-induced oscillations and plateau potentials failed to be induced in culture. This study shows that changes specifically affecting CaV1.3 channel contribution to intrinsic oscillatory property expression may occur in culture. The results contribute also to understanding further the potential for plasticity of mature vertebrate neurons.

AB - Although intrinsic neuronal properties in invertebrates are well known to undergo specific adaptive changes in culture, long-term adaptation of similar properties in mature vertebrate neurons remain poorly understood. To investigate this, we used an organotypic slice preparation from the spinal cord of adult turtles maintainable for several weeks in culture conditions. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced-tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant voltage oscillations in motoneurons were approximately 10 times faster in culture than in acute preparations. Oscillations in culture were abolished by NMDA receptor antagonists or by high extracellular Mg2+ concentrations. However, in contrast with results from motoneurons in the acute slice, NMDA-induced oscillations in culture did not depend on CaV1.3 channel activation as they still remained after nifedipine application. Other CaV1.3 channel-mediated properties such as metabotropic receptor-induced oscillations and plateau potentials failed to be induced in culture. This study shows that changes specifically affecting CaV1.3 channel contribution to intrinsic oscillatory property expression may occur in culture. The results contribute also to understanding further the potential for plasticity of mature vertebrate neurons.

KW - Action Potentials

KW - Adaptation, Physiological

KW - Animals

KW - Biological Clocks

KW - Cell Culture Techniques

KW - Cells, Cultured

KW - Long-Term Potentiation

KW - Membrane Potentials

KW - Motor Neurons

KW - Neuronal Plasticity

KW - Turtles

U2 - 10.1152/jn.00832.2005

DO - 10.1152/jn.00832.2005

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 16236781

VL - 95

SP - 2024

EP - 2027

JO - Journal of Neurophysiology

JF - Journal of Neurophysiology

SN - 0022-3077

IS - 3

ER -