Axons amplify somatic incomplete spikes into uniform amplitudes in mouse cortical pyramidal neurons.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Action potentials are the essential unit of neuronal encoding. Somatic sequential spikes in the central nervous system appear various in amplitudes. To be effective neuronal codes, these spikes should be propagated to axonal terminals where they activate the synapses and drive postsynaptic neurons. It remains unclear whether these effective neuronal codes are based on spike timing orders and/or amplitudes.

Methodology/principal findings

We investigated this fundamental issue by simultaneously recording the axon versus soma of identical neurons and presynaptic vs. postsynaptic neurons in the cortical slices. The axons enable somatic spikes in low amplitude be enlarged, which activate synaptic transmission in consistent patterns. This facilitation in the propagation

SUBMITTER: Chen N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2912328 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature