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Modulation of calcium currents in mouse ventral horn neurons by extracellular pH
Author(s) -
Carlin Kevin P.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
european journal of neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.346
H-Index - 206
eISSN - 1460-9568
pISSN - 0953-816X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2005.04455.x
Subject(s) - extracellular , chemistry , calcium , neuroscience , biophysics , spinal cord , electrophysiology , premovement neuronal activity , voltage dependent calcium channel , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Neuronal activity has been shown to modulate the pH of the extracellular environment. Since neuronal circuits in the ventral horn of the spinal cord are highly active during patterned movements, and voltage‐gated calcium channels play an important role in the production of spinal motoneuron output, the effects of changes in extracellular pH (pH e ) on calcium currents in ventral horn neurons of the mouse spinal cord were examined. It is demonstrated that these channels are sensitive to modulation by pH e . The amplitude of the current mediated by these channels increased as the pH e was elevated. The elevated pH e also led to a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of both activation and inactivation. The opposite effects were seen for a decrease in pH e . It was also noted that a decrease in pH e was associated with a faster inactivation of the current. It is concluded that voltage‐gated calcium currents in ventral horn neurons are modulated by changes in pH e , and that this modulation may play a physiologically important role in determining motoneuronal excitability during behaviors such as locomotion.