Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Neurotransmitters decrease the calcium component of sensory neurone action potentials

Abstract

RELEASE of neurotransmitters from presynaptic axon terminals requires the influx of Ca2+ ions during the nerve terminal action potential1. Action potentials recorded in some neurone cell bodies exhibit a relatively large Ca2+ component, and it has been suggested that these soma Ca2+ spikes may provide a model for Ca2+ influx across the less accessible nerve terminal membrane2. Recent data support the usefulness of this model. Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) increases transmitter output at certain habituated sensory nerve-motoneurone synapses in the abdominal ganglion of Aplysia and it also prolongs the Ca2+ spike recorded in the sensory neurone cell body3. Enkephalin reduces the stimulated release of substance P by adult cat trigeminal neurones4 and by cultured embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurones5, and it decreases the quantal content of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (e.p.s.ps, transmitter unknown) evoked in cultured rat spinal cord neurones by co-cultured DRG cells6. This peptide also decreases the duration and magnitude of the Ca2+ component of the DRG soma spike5. With the thought that modulation of Ca2+ currents may be a general correlate of presynaptic inhibition, we have studied the effect of several putative neurotransmitters on the soma spike of cultured chick sensory neurones, and report here that they decrease the calcium component of cell body action potentials.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Katz, B. & Miledi, R. Proc. R. Soc. B161, 496–503 (1965); 167, 23–38 (1967); J. Physiol., Lond. 203, 459–487 (1969).

    ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stinnakre, J. & Tauc, L. Nature new Biol. 242, 113–115 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Klein, M. & Kandel, E. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 3512–3516 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jessell, T. M. & Iversen, L. L. Nature 268, 549–551 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Mudge, A., Leeman, S. & Fischbach, G. D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. (in the press).

  6. MacDonald, R. L. & Nelson, P. G. Science 199, 1449–1451 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dichter, M. A. & Fischbach, G. D. J. Physiol., Lond. 267, 281–298 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Choi, D. thesis, Harvard Univ. (1978).

  9. Takeuchi, A. & Takeuchi, N. J. Physiol., Lond. 205, 377–391 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Johnston, G. A. R. in Chemical Transmitters in the Mammalian Central Nervous System (eds Hockman, E. & Bieger, D.) 31–83 (University Park Press, Baltimore, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gallagher, J. P., Higashi, H. & Nishi, S. J. Physiol., Lond. 275, 263–282 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Meech, R. & Standen, N. J. Physiol., Lond. 249, 211–239 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hagiwara, S. Adv. Biophys. 4, 71–102 (1973).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Werman, P. & Grundfest, H. J. gen. Physiol. 44, 997–1027 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Vassort, G. et al. Pflügers Archiv. ges. Physiol. 225, 263–267 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Giles, W. & Noble, S. J. J. Physiol., Lond. 261, 103–123 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Tsien, R. W., Giles, W. & Greengard, P. Nature new Biol. 240, 181–183 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bolton, T. B. J. Physiol., Lond. 250, 175–202 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Frank, K. & Fuortes, M. G. F. Fedn Proc. 16, 39–40 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Schmidt, R. F. Ergebn. Physiol. 63, 20–101 (1971).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Burke, R. E. & Rudomin, P. in Handbook of Physiology: The Nervous System, Vol. 1, 877–944 (Am. Physiol. Soc., 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Barker, J. L. & Nicoll, R. A. J. Physiol., Lond. 228, 259–277 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Nishi, S., Minota, S. & Karczmar, A. G. Neuropharmacology 13, 215–219 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Carlsson, A., Falck, B., Fuxe, K. & Hillarp, N. A. Acta physiol. scand. 60, 112–119 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Basbaum, A. I., Clanton, C. H. & Fields, H. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 4685–4688 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Headley, P. M., Duggan, A. W. & Griersmith, B. T. Brain Res. 145, 185–189 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Breckenridge, B. McL., Burn, J. H. & Matschinsky, F. M. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 57, 1893–1897 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Dudel, J. Arch. exp. Path. Pharmak. 249, 515–528 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DUNLAP, K., FISCHBACH, G. Neurotransmitters decrease the calcium component of sensory neurone action potentials. Nature 276, 837–839 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/276837a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/276837a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing