Neuroepithelial progenitors generate and propagate non-neuronal action potentials across the spinal cord.

In the developing central nervous system, electrical signaling is thought to rely exclusively on differentiating neurons as they acquire the ability to generate and propagate action potentials. Accordingly, neuroepithelial progenitors (NEPs), which give rise to all neurons and glial cells during development, have been reported to remain electrically passive. Here, we investigated the physiological properties of NEPs at the onset of spontaneous neural activity (SNA) initiating motor behavior in mouse embryonic spinal cord. Using patch-clamp recordings, we discovered that spinal NEPs exhibit spontaneous membrane depolarizations during episodes of SNA. These rhythmic depolarizations exhibited a ventral-to-dorsal gradient with the highest amplitude located in the floor plate, the ventral-most part of the neuroepithelium. Paired recordings revealed that NEPs are coupled via gap junctions and form an electrical syncytium. Although other NEPs were electrically passive, we discovered that floor-plate NEPs generated large Na+/Ca2+ action potentials. Unlike in neurons, floor-plate action potentials relied primarily on the activation of voltage-gated T-type calcium channels (TTCCs). In situ hybridization showed that all 3 known subtypes of TTCCs are predominantly expressed in the floor plate. During SNA, we found that acetylcholine released by motoneurons rhythmically triggers floor-plate action potentials by acting through nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Finally, by expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6f in the floor plate, we demonstrated that neuroepithelial action potentials are associated with calcium waves and propagate along the entire length of the spinal cord. Our work reveals a novel physiological mechanism to generate and propagate electrical signals across a neural structure independently from neurons.

Two opposite voltage-dependent currents control the unusual early development pattern of embryonic Renshaw cell electrical activity.

Renshaw cells (V1R) are excitable as soon as they reach their final location next to the spinal motoneurons and are functionally heterogeneous. Using multiple experimental approaches, in combination with biophysical modeling and dynamical systems theory, we analyzed, for the first time, the mechanisms underlying the electrophysiological properties of V1R during early embryonic development of the mouse spinal cord locomotor networks (E11.5-E16.5). We found that these interneurons are subdivided into several functional clusters from E11.5 and then display an unexpected transitory involution process during which they lose their ability to sustain tonic firing. We demonstrated that the essential factor controlling the diversity of the discharge pattern of embryonic V1R is the ratio of a persistent sodium conductance to a delayed rectifier potassium conductance. Taken together, our results reveal how a simple mechanism, based on the synergy of two voltage-dependent conductances that are ubiquitous in neurons, can produce functional diversity in embryonic V1R and control their early developmental trajectory.

Persistent Sodium Current Drives Excitability of Immature Renshaw Cells in Early Embryonic Spinal Networks.

Spontaneous network activity (SNA) emerges in the spinal cord (SC) before the formation of peripheral sensory inputs and central descending inputs. SNA is characterized by recurrent giant depolarizing potentials (GDPs). Because GDPs in motoneurons (MNs) are mainly evoked by prolonged release of GABA, they likely necessitate sustained firing of interneurons. To address this issue we analyzed, as a model, embryonic Renshaw cell (V1R) activity at the onset of SNA (E12.5) in the embryonic mouse SC (both sexes). V1R are one of the interneurons known to contact MNs, which are generated early in the embryonic SC. Here, we show that V1R already produce GABA in E12.5 embryo, and that V1R make synaptic-like contacts with MNs and have putative extrasynaptic release sites, while paracrine release of GABA occurs at this developmental stage. In addition, we discovered that V1R are spontaneously active during SNA and can already generate several intrinsic activity patterns including repetitive-spiking and sodium-dependent plateau potential that rely on the presence of persistent sodium currents (INap). This is the first demonstration that INap is present in the embryonic SC and that this current can control intrinsic activation properties of newborn interneurons in the SC of mammalian embryos. Finally, we found that 5 µm riluzole, which is known to block INaP, altered SNA by reducing episode duration and increasing inter-episode interval. Because SNA is essential for neuronal maturation, axon pathfinding, and synaptogenesis, the presence of INaP in embryonic SC neurons may play a role in the early development of mammalian locomotor networks.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The developing spinal cord (SC) exhibits spontaneous network activity (SNA) involved in the building of nascent locomotor circuits in the embryo. Many studies suggest that SNA depends on the rhythmic release of GABA, yet intracellular recordings of GABAergic neurons have never been performed at the onset of SNA in the SC. We first discovered that embryonic Renshaw cells (V1R) are GABAergic at E12.5 and spontaneously active during SNA. We uncover a new role for persistent sodium currents (INaP) in driving plateau potential in V1R and in SNA patterning in the embryonic SC. Our study thus sheds light on a role for INaP in the excitability of V1R and the developing SC.