Sodium-dependent plateau potentials in electrocytes of the electric fish Gymnotus carapo

Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
F SierraO Macadar

Abstract

The weakly electric fish Gymnotus carapo emits a triphasic electric organ discharge generated by muscle-derived electrocytes, which is modified by environmental and physiological factors. Two electrode current clamp recordings in an in vitro preparation showed that Gymnotus electrocytes fired repetitively and responded with plateau potentials when depolarized. This electrophysiological behavior has never been observed in electrocytes from related species. Two types of plateaus with different thresholds and amplitudes were evoked by depolarization when Na(+)-dependent currents were isolated in a K(+)- and Ca(2+)-free solution containing TEA and 4-AP. Two electrode voltage clamp recordings revealed a classical fast activating-inactivating Na+ current and two persistent Na(+)-dependent currents with voltage-dependencies consistent with the action potential (AP) and the two plateaus observed under current clamp, respectively. The three currents, the APs and the plateaus were reduced by TTX, and were absent in Na(+)-free solution. The different Na(+)-dependent currents in Gymnotus electrocytes may be targets for the modifications of the electric organ discharge mediated by environmental and physiological factors.

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Citations

Feb 12, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Norbert BoeddekerMartin Egelhaaf
Mar 27, 2009·Nature Neuroscience·Shawn R Lockery, Miriam B Goodman
Jan 20, 2006·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Kenji Hashimoto, Hitoshi Kita
Mar 5, 2014·Annals of Neurology·Carol J MilliganSteven Petrou
Aug 24, 2016·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Michael R MarkhamRosalie Maltby
Dec 25, 2012·The Journal of Experimental Biology·A Rodríguez-CattáneoA A Caputi
Oct 20, 2009·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Alejo Rodríguez-Cattáneo, Angel Ariel Caputi
Jun 14, 2013·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Michael R Markham
Jun 14, 2013·The Journal of Experimental Biology·W G R CramptonA A Caputi
Jan 16, 2007·Neuroscience·F SierraO Macadar

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