Axonal sodium and potassium conductance density determines spiking dynamical properties of regular- and fast-spiking neurons

Zhang, Wen; Fan, Boqiang; Agarwal, Divyansh; Li, Tun

doi:10.1007/s11071-018-4613-3

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Despite extensive characterization of the mPOA in the literature, it remains largely unknown whether or how male and female mPOA neurons differ electrophysiologically. As electrophysiological properties reflect the distributions of voltage-dependent ion channels (Brumberg et al, 2000, Tripathy et al, 2017, Zhang et al, 2019), it is perceivable that sex differences in the expression of ion channels or synaptic organization may result in sexually dimorphic electrophysiological features of mPOA neurons that contribute directly to sex-specific activation patterns underlying sexually dimorphic display of behaviors. For instance, more depolarized resting membrane potential together with lower action potential threshold could in theory lead to easier firing of some neurons (Platkiewicz and Brette, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in electrophysiological properties of mouse mPOA neurons revealed by in vitro whole-cell recordings

Zhang

Jiao

et al. 2019

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13The medial preoptic area (mPOA) of the hypothalamus is sexually 14 dimorphic and controls sexually dimorphic display of male mating and parental 15 care. Yet, despite extensive characterization of sex differences in the mPOA, 16 we know surprisingly little about whether or how male and female mPOA 17 neurons differ electrophysiologically, which relate more directly to neuronal 18 firing and behavioral pattern generation. In this study, we performed whole-cell 19 patch clamp recordings of the mPOA in acute brain slices cut from virgin adult 20 mice, and compared in total 29 electrophysiological parameters between male 21 and female mPOA neurons. We find that resting membrane potential (Vm), 22 input resistance (Rm), time constant (τm), threshold (Vth) and minimum current 1 (rheobase) required to generate an action potential differ significantly between 2 male and female in a cell-type dependent manner. Nonetheless, there is little 3 evidence for profuse sex differences in neuronal excitability, except for a 4 higher probability of rebound neurons in males. Depletion of male gonadal 5 hormones in adulthood partially de-masculinizes sexually dimorphic 6 electrophysiological parameters, suggesting that some of these sex 7 differences may establish during development. Furthermore, as a 8 demonstration of the behavioral relevance of these sex differences, we show 9 that pharmacologic blockage of currents mediated by T-type Ca 2+ channel, 10 which underlie rebound and tends to be larger in male mPOA neurons, result in 11 behavioral deficits in male mating. In summary, we have identified key sex 12 differences in electrophysiological properties of mPOA neurons that likely 13 contribute to sexually dimorphic display of behaviors. 14 15 Significance Statement 16 Sex represents an important biological variable that impact an individual's 17 behaviors, physiology and disease susceptibility. Indeed, sex differences in the 18 nervous system manifest across many different levels and scales. Yet, 19 throughout previous multifaceted investigations on sex differences in the brain, 20 electrophysiological characterizations, which could potentially bridge cellular 21 and molecular sex differences with sexually dimorphic brain functions and 22 behaviors, remains scant. Here, focusing on an evolutionarily conserved 1 sexually dimorphic nucleus, we investigated sex differences in 2 electrophysiological properties of mPOA neurons and its modulation by 3 gonadal hormones in adult males via in vitro whole-cell patch clamp. As a 4 result, we identified novel sex differences in electrophysiological properties 5 that likely contribute to sexually dimorphic display of behaviors and 6 physiological functions.7 8

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