Time constants of h current in layer ii stellate cells differ along the dorsal to ventral axis of medial entorhinal cortex

J Neurosci. 2008 Sep 17;28(38):9414-25. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3196-08.2008.

Abstract

Chronic recordings in the medial entorhinal cortex of behaving rats have found grid cells, neurons that fire when the rat is in a hexagonal array of locations. Grid cells recorded at different dorsal-ventral anatomical positions show systematic changes in size and spacing of firing fields. To test possible mechanisms underlying these differences, we analyzed properties of the hyperpolarization-activated cation current I(h) in voltage-clamp recordings from stellate cells in entorhinal slices from different dorsal-ventral locations. The time constant of h current was significantly different between dorsal and ventral neurons. The time constant of h current correlated with membrane potential oscillation frequency and the time constant of the sag potential in the same neurons. Differences in h current could underlie differences in membrane potential oscillation properties and contribute to grid cell periodicity along the dorsal-ventral axis of medial entorhinal cortex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology*
  • Animals
  • Biological Clocks / physiology
  • Cation Transport Proteins / physiology
  • Entorhinal Cortex / cytology
  • Entorhinal Cortex / physiology*
  • Female
  • Interneurons / physiology*
  • Ion Channels / physiology
  • Male
  • Membrane Potentials / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Organ Culture Techniques
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Rats
  • Rats, Long-Evans
  • Synaptic Transmission / physiology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Ion Channels