Optical recording of neural signals evoked by greater superficial petrosal nerve stimulation in rat.

Electrical responses to greater superficial petrosal (GSP) nerve stimulation in a rat geniculate ganglion (GG) preparation were assessed by simultaneous multi-site-optical recording. The GG/GSP nerve preparations were dissected out and were stained with a voltage-sensitive dye (RH155). Application of depolarizing square pulses to the GSP nerve fibers using a suction electrode evoked optical (absorbance) signals that were recorded simultaneously from many contiguous regions using a 24 x 24 photodiode matrix array with 448 active elements. Those optical signals were observed along the left half area of the GSP nerve. As the distance from the site of stimulation increased, the optical signals appeared to conduct with increasing time-delay. From the relationship between the peak latency and distance, the conduction velocity was estimated to be about 0.4 m/s. Tetraethylammonium affected the duration of the optical signals, and the signals disappeared in solutions containing tetrodotoxin (TTX) or in Na(+)-deficient solutions. The optical signals evoked by the GSP nerve stimulation are considered to be due to the action potentials propagating along the GSP of unmyelinated axons.

Characterization of slow postsynaptic K+ current of Aplysia LUQ neurons in culture.

We have characterized the slow inhibitory synaptic connection between an left upper quadrant (LUQ) neuron and neuron L10, L12 or L13 in culture. A slow postsynaptic outward current in the LUQ neuron was elicited by repetitive firing of the co-cultured cholinergic neuron L10 as well as neuron L12 or L13 which were not cholinergic but FMRFamide synthesizing neurons. This outward current was due to an increase in K+ conductance and was relatively insensitive to external application of tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine. We also investigated the effects of injection of a guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) analogue into the LUQ neuron and extracellular application of serotonin and an adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) analogue on the current. In all the investigated properties, no significant difference was found among neuron L10, L12 and L13 as a presynaptic neuron. The slow postsynaptic current appeared to be virtually identical to the FMRFamide or acetylcholine (ACh)-induced K+ current reported in vivo, which resembled the 'S' current in Aplysia sensory neurons. We performed experiments to see the effect of phenyltrimethylammonium, an ACh antagonist, on the postsynaptic, ACh-, and FMRFamide-induced currents, clearly indicating that the neurotransmitter used in the cultured synapses was not ACh.