Biomaterial Database

Topography of recurrent inhibitory postsynaptic potentials between individual motoneurons in the cat. 1994

M L McCurdy, and T M Hamm

Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona 85013.

1. The amplitude of recurrent inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (RIPSPs) was examined in pairs of lumbosacral motoneurons that were separated by a known distance and were identified by antidromic stimulation of muscle nerves. One motoneuron was stimulated by injecting depolarizing current pulses, and postsynaptic responses were recorded and averaged in the second motoneuron. Input resistance, rheobase, and conduction velocity were determined for many motoneurons. Most motoneurons innervated extensor muscles. 2. RIPSP values as large as -283 microV were recorded, but most were between -10 and -40 microV. RIPSPs from individual motoneurons of a pool are distributed to several heteronymous motor nuclei and have a range of amplitudes comparable with homonymous RIPSPs. 3. A specific spatial distribution of RIPSP amplitudes was found whereby the largest RIPSP amplitudes (> 40 microV) occurred in motoneurons located within +/- 1.4 mm of the stimulated motoneuron. A significant correlation was found between RIPSP amplitude and the distance between motoneurons for all motoneuron pairs. This correlation was also found within individual groups of motoneuron pairs that innervate the lateral gastrocnemius, medial gastrocnemius, anterior-middle biceps femoris, or soleus muscles. 4. The dependency of RIPSP amplitude on the motoneuron species, which is the particular muscle a motoneuron innervates, is less distinct than the dependency of RIPSP amplitude on topography. Pooling all motoneuron species of close motoneuron pairs indicated that RIPSPs measured in homonymous motoneuron pairs were greater in amplitude than RIPSPs measured in heteronymous pairs. In addition, homonymous RIPSPs of anterior middle biceps femoris or lateral gastrocnemius motoneurons were greater than heteronymous RIPSPs of those motoneurons in all heteronymous combinations. However, homonymous and heteronymous RIPSPs were not significantly different when heteronymous pairs were restricted to individual combinations of species. These findings indicate that RIPSP amplitudes within a set of motor nuclei interconnected by recurrent inhibition are dependent in some cases on the species of motoneurons, but this effect is less important than the effect of topography on RIPSP amplitude. 5. These results indicate that recurrent inhibition in motoneuron pools that innervate hindlimb extensor muscles has a strong topographic organization, such that the strongest recurrent inhibition is produced by each motoneuron in a restricted rostrocaudal zone that includes both homonymous and heteronymous motor nuclei. This suggests that recurrent inhibition is organized for the control of several motor nuclei engaged in common motor activity as well as regulation of activity within individual motor pools.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D009046	Motor Neurons	Neurons which activate MUSCLE CELLS.	Neurons, Motor,Alpha Motorneurons,Motoneurons,Motor Neurons, Alpha,Neurons, Alpha Motor,Alpha Motor Neuron,Alpha Motor Neurons,Alpha Motorneuron,Motoneuron,Motor Neuron,Motor Neuron, Alpha,Motorneuron, Alpha,Motorneurons, Alpha,Neuron, Alpha Motor,Neuron, Motor
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009433	Neural Inhibition	The function of opposing or restraining the excitation of neurons or their target excitable cells.	Inhibition, Neural
D009435	Synaptic Transmission	The communication from a NEURON to a target (neuron, muscle, or secretory cell) across a SYNAPSE. In chemical synaptic transmission, the presynaptic neuron releases a NEUROTRANSMITTER that diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to specific synaptic receptors, activating them. The activated receptors modulate specific ion channels and/or second-messenger systems in the postsynaptic cell. In electrical synaptic transmission, electrical signals are communicated as an ionic current flow across ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES.	Neural Transmission,Neurotransmission,Transmission, Neural,Transmission, Synaptic
D011930	Reaction Time	The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed.	Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D006614	Hindlimb	Either of two extremities of four-footed non-primate land animals. It usually consists of a FEMUR; TIBIA; and FIBULA; tarsals; METATARSALS; and TOES. (From Storer et al., General Zoology, 6th ed, p73)	Hindlimbs
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia