Tuning pacemaker frequency of individual dopaminergic neurons by Kv4.3L and KChip3.1 transcription.

ABSTRACT: The activity of dopaminergic (DA) substantia nigra (SN) neurons is essential for voluntary movement control. An intrinsic pacemaker in DA SN neurons generates their tonic spontaneous activity, which triggers dopamine release. We show here, by combining multiplex and quantitative real-time single-cell RT- PCR with slice patch-clamp electrophysiology, that an A-type potassium channel mediated by Kv4.3 and KChip3 subunits has a key role in pacemaker control. The number of active A-type potassium channels is not only tightly associated with the pacemaker frequency of individual DA SN neurons, but is also highly correlated with their number of Kv4.3L (long splice variant) and KChip3.1 (long splice variant) mRNA molecules. Consequently, the variation of Kv4alpha and Kv4beta subunit transcript nu

SUBMITTER: Liss B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC125678 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature