Fluctuation Analysis in Nonstationary Conditions: Single Ca2+ Channel Current in Pyramidal Neurons.

Fluctuation analysis is a method that allows measurement of the single-channel current of ion channels even when it is too small to be resolved directly with the patch-clamp technique. This is the case for voltage-gated calcium channels. They are present in all mammalian central neurons, controlling presynaptic release of transmitter, postsynaptic signaling, and synaptic integration. The amplitudes of their single-channel currents in a physiological concentration of extracellular calcium, however, are small and not well determined. But measurement of this quantity is essential for estimating numbers of functional voltage-gated calcium channels in the membrane and the size of channel-associated calcium signaling domains, and for understanding the stochastic nature of calcium signaling. Here, we recorded the voltage-gated calcium channel current in nucleated patches from layer 5 pyramidal neurons in rat neocortex, in physiological external calcium (1-2 mM). The ensemble-averaging of current responses required for conventional fluctuation analysis proved impractical because of the rapid rundown of calcium channel currents. We therefore developed a more robust method, using mean current fitting of individual current responses and band-pass filtering. Furthermore, voltage-ramp stimulation proved useful. We validated the accuracy of the method by analyzing simulated data. At an external calcium concentration of 1 mM, and a membrane potential of -20 mV, we found that the average single-channel current amplitude was ∼0.04 pA, increasing to 0.065 pA at 2 mM external calcium, and 0.12 pA at 5 mM. The relaxation time constant of the fluctuations was in the range 0.2-0.8 ms. The results are relevant to understanding the stochastic properties of dendritic Ca2+ spikes in neocortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons. With the reported method, single-channel current amplitude of native voltage-gated calcium channels can be resolved accurately despite conditions of unstable rundown.

High- and low-conductance NMDA receptors are present in layer 4 spiny stellate and layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of mouse barrel cortex.

N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are ion channels activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate in the mammalian brain and are important in synaptic function and plasticity, but are also found in extrasynaptic locations and influence neuronal excitability. There are different NMDA receptor subtypes which differ in their single-channel conductance. Recently, synaptic plasticity has been studied in the mouse barrel cortex, the primary sensory cortex for input from the animal's whiskers. Pharmacological data imply the presence of low-conductance NMDA receptors in spiny stellate neurons of cortical layer 4, but of high-conductance NMDA receptors in pyramidal neurons of layer 2/3. Here, to obtain complementary electrophysiological information on the functional NMDA receptors expressed in layer 4 and layer 2/3 neurons, single NMDA receptor currents were recorded with the patch-clamp method. Both cell types were found to contain high-conductance as well as low-conductance NMDA receptors. The results are consistent with the reported pharmacological data on synaptic plasticity, and with previous claims of a prominent role of low-conductance NMDA receptors in layer 4 spiny stellate neurons, including broad integration, amplification and distribution of excitation within the barrel in response to whisker stimulation, as well as modulation of excitability by ambient glutamate. However, layer 4 cells also expressed high-conductance NMDA receptors. The presence of low-conductance NMDA receptors in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons suggests that some of these functions may be shared with layer 4 spiny stellate neurons.