Intrinsic oscillatory firing activity of rat cerebellar Purkinje cells in vitro

초록

The purpose of this study was to confirm the mechanism underlying oscillatory activity in cerebellar Purkinje cells involve an interplay between cell-intrinsic conductances and do not require the evoked rhythmic recruitment of any local synaptic input. Furthermore, it was the intention of this study to investigate the oscillatory activity in PCs can be driven by mainly calcium conductance even in the absence of sodium conductance. The results were as follows. 1. Osicllatory activity in PCs occured spontaneously and always associated with the presence of a zero slope resistance (ZSR region). 2. Oscillatory activity was maintained in the presence of TTX, synaptic blocker, or both. 3. Oscillatory activity could be observed in the presence of blockers of voltage-dependent sodium channel such as TTX or QX-314. 4. Oscillatory activity was completely abolished by superfusion of Ni++ containing solution, and this effect was associated with elimination of the ZSR region in the voltage clamp mode.