SK channels provide a novel mechanism for the control of frequency tuning in electrosensory neurons.

Full Abstract

One important characteristic of sensory input is frequency, with sensory neurons often tuned to narrow stimulus frequency ranges. Although vital for many neural computations, the cellular basis of such frequency tuning remains mostly unknown. In the electrosensory system of Apteronotus leptorhynchus, the primary processing of important environmental and communication signals occurs in pyramidal neurons of the electrosensory lateral line lobe. Spike trains transmitted by these cells can encode low-frequency prey stimuli with bursts of spikes and high-frequency communication signals with single spikes. Here, we demonstrate that the selective expression of SK2 channels in a subset of pyramidal neurons reduces their response to low-frequency stimuli by opposing their burst responses. Apamin block of the SK2 current in this subset of cells induced bursting and increased their response to low-frequency inputs. SK channel expression thus provides an intrinsic mechanism that predisposes a neuron to respond to higher frequencies and thus specific, behaviorally relevant stimuli.

Author information

Author/s: Ellis, Lee D (LD); Mehaffey, W Hamish (WH); Harvey-Girard, Erik (E); Turner, Ray W (RW); Maler, Leonard (L); Dunn, Robert J (RJ);

Affiliation: Center for Research in Neuroscience and Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1A4.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: In Vitro; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience (J Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Aug; vol 27 (issue 35) : pp 9491-502

Dates: Created 2007/08/30; Completed 2007/09/25;

PMID: 17728462, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 2/18/2009)

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