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Jacak JE, Jacak WA. Ionic plasmon-polariton in application to neurosignaling. Phys Rev E 2024; 109:034401. [PMID: 38632795 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.109.034401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The diffusive ion current is insufficient to explain the fast saltatory conduction observed in myelinated axons and in pain-sensing C fibers in the human nervous system, where the stimulus signal exhibits a velocity two orders of magnitude greater than the upper limit of ion diffusion velocity, even when the diffusion is accelerated by myelin, as in the discrete cable model including the Hodgkin-Huxley mechanism. The agreement with observations has been achieved in a wave-type model of stimulus signal kinetics via synchronized ion local density oscillations propagating as a wave in axons periodically corrugated by myelin segments in myelinated axons, or by periodically distributed rafts with clusters of Na^{+} channels in C fibers. The resulting so-called plasmon-polariton model for saltatory conduction reveals also the specific role of myelin, which is different from what was previously thought. This can be important for identifying a new target for the future treatment of demyelination diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Jacak
- Department of Quantum Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
| | - W A Jacak
- Department of Quantum Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
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2
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Ofer N, Cornejo VH, Yuste R. Spike transmission failures in axons from mouse cortical pyramidal neurons in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.29.577733. [PMID: 38352485 PMCID: PMC10862735 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.29.577733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
The propagation of action potentials along axons is traditionally considered to be reliable, as a consequence of the high safety factor of action potential propagation. However, numerical simulations have suggested that, at high frequencies, spikes could fail to invade distal axonal branches. Given the complex morphologies of axonal trees, with extensive branching and long-distance projections, spike propagation failures could be functionally important. To explore this experimentally in vivo, we used an axonal-targeted calcium indicator to image action potentials at axonal terminal branches in superficial layers from mouse somatosensory cortical pyramidal neurons. We activated axons with an extracellular electrode, varying stimulation frequencies, and computationally extracted axonal morphologies and associated calcium responses. We find that axonal boutons have higher calcium accumulations than their parent axons, as was reported in vitro. But, contrary to previous in vitro results, our data reveal spike failures in a significant subset of branches, as a function of branching geometry and spike frequency. The filtering is correlated with the geometric ratio of the branch diameters, as expected by cable theory. These findings suggest that axonal morphologies contribute to signal processing in the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Netanel Ofer
- Neurotechnology Center, Dept. Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Victor Hugo Cornejo
- Neurotechnology Center, Dept. Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Rafael Yuste
- Neurotechnology Center, Dept. Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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3
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Peluffo RD, Hernández JA. The Na +,K +-ATPase and its stoichiometric ratio: some thermodynamic speculations. Biophys Rev 2023; 15:539-552. [PMID: 37681108 PMCID: PMC10480117 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-023-01082-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost seventy years after its discovery, the sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (the sodium pump) located in the cell plasma membrane remains a source of novel mechanistic and physiologic findings. A noteworthy feature of this enzyme/transporter is its robust stoichiometric ratio under physiological conditions: it sequentially counter-transports three sodium ions and two potassium ions against their electrochemical potential gradients per each hydrolyzed ATP molecule. Here we summarize some present knowledge about the sodium pump and its physiological roles, and speculate whether energetic constraints may have played a role in the evolutionary selection of its characteristic stoichiometric ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Daniel Peluffo
- Group of Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de La República, Rivera 1350, CP: 50000 Salto, Uruguay
| | - Julio A. Hernández
- Biophysics and Systems Biology Section, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La República, Iguá 4225, CP: 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
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Zang Y, Marder E, Marom S. Sodium channel slow inactivation normalizes firing in axons with uneven conductance distributions. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1818-1824.e3. [PMID: 37023754 PMCID: PMC10175232 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The Na+ channels that are important for action potentials show rapid inactivation, a state in which they do not conduct, although the membrane potential remains depolarized.1,2 Rapid inactivation is a determinant of millisecond-scale phenomena, such as spike shape and refractory period. Na+ channels also inactivate orders of magnitude more slowly, and this slow inactivation has impacts on excitability over much longer timescales than those of a single spike or a single inter-spike interval.3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 Here, we focus on the contribution of slow inactivation to the resilience of axonal excitability11,12 when ion channels are unevenly distributed along the axon. We study models in which the voltage-gated Na+ and K+ channels are unevenly distributed along axons with different variances, capturing the heterogeneity that biological axons display.13,14 In the absence of slow inactivation, many conductance distributions result in spontaneous tonic activity. Faithful axonal propagation is achieved with the introduction of Na+ channel slow inactivation. This "normalization" effect depends on relations between the kinetics of slow inactivation and the firing frequency. Consequently, neurons with characteristically different firing frequencies will need to implement different sets of channel properties to achieve resilience. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of the intrinsic biophysical properties of ion channels in normalizing axonal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunliang Zang
- Volen Center and Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA.
| | - Eve Marder
- Volen Center and Biology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Shimon Marom
- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
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Verkerk AO, Wilders R. Human Sinoatrial Node Pacemaker Activity: Role of the Slow Component of the Delayed Rectifier K + Current, I Ks. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7264. [PMID: 37108427 PMCID: PMC10138838 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The pacemaker activity of the sinoatrial node (SAN) has been studied extensively in animal species but is virtually unexplored in humans. Here we assess the role of the slowly activating component of the delayed rectifier K+ current (IKs) in human SAN pacemaker activity and its dependence on heart rate and β-adrenergic stimulation. HEK-293 cells were transiently transfected with wild-type KCNQ1 and KCNE1 cDNA, encoding the α- and β-subunits of the IKs channel, respectively. KCNQ1/KCNE1 currents were recorded both during a traditional voltage clamp and during an action potential (AP) clamp with human SAN-like APs. Forskolin (10 µmol/L) was used to increase the intracellular cAMP level, thus mimicking β-adrenergic stimulation. The experimentally observed effects were evaluated in the Fabbri-Severi computer model of an isolated human SAN cell. Transfected HEK-293 cells displayed large IKs-like outward currents in response to depolarizing voltage clamp steps. Forskolin significantly increased the current density and significantly shifted the half-maximal activation voltage towards more negative potentials. Furthermore, forskolin significantly accelerated activation without affecting the rate of deactivation. During an AP clamp, the KCNQ1/KCNE1 current was substantial during the AP phase, but relatively small during diastolic depolarization. In the presence of forskolin, the KCNQ1/KCNE1 current during both the AP phase and diastolic depolarization increased, resulting in a clearly active KCNQ1/KCNE1 current during diastolic depolarization, particularly at shorter cycle lengths. Computer simulations demonstrated that IKs reduces the intrinsic beating rate through its slowing effect on diastolic depolarization at all levels of autonomic tone and that gain-of-function mutations in KCNQ1 may exert a marked bradycardic effect during vagal tone. In conclusion, IKs is active during human SAN pacemaker activity and has a strong dependence on heart rate and cAMP level, with a prominent role at all levels of autonomic tone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arie O. Verkerk
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Department of Experimental Cardiology, Heart Center, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Wilders
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
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Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cardiac Arrhythmias. Cells 2023; 12:cells12050679. [PMID: 36899814 PMCID: PMC10001005 DOI: 10.3390/cells12050679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrophysiological and structural disruptions in cardiac arrhythmias are closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria are an organelle generating ATP, thereby satisfying the energy demand of the incessant electrical activity in the heart. In arrhythmias, the homeostatic supply-demand relationship is impaired, which is often accompanied by progressive mitochondrial dysfunction leading to reduced ATP production and elevated reactive oxidative species generation. Furthermore, ion homeostasis, membrane excitability, and cardiac structure can be disrupted through pathological changes in gap junctions and inflammatory signaling, which results in impaired cardiac electrical homeostasis. Herein, we review the electrical and molecular mechanisms of cardiac arrhythmias, with a particular focus on mitochondrial dysfunction in ionic regulation and gap junction action. We provide an update on inherited and acquired mitochondrial dysfunction to explore the pathophysiology of different types of arrhythmias. In addition, we highlight the role of mitochondria in bradyarrhythmia, including sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular node dysfunction. Finally, we discuss how confounding factors, such as aging, gut microbiome, cardiac reperfusion injury, and electrical stimulation, modulate mitochondrial function and cause tachyarrhythmia.
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Hopper AJ, Beswick‐Jones H, Brown AM. Resilience of compound action potential peaks to high-frequency firing in the mouse optic nerve. Physiol Rep 2023; 11:e15606. [PMID: 36807847 PMCID: PMC9937793 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.15606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Action potential conduction in axons triggers trans-membrane ion movements, where Na+ enters and K+ leaves axons, leading to disruptions in resting trans-membrane ion gradients that must be restored for optimal axon conduction, an energy dependent process. The higher the stimulus frequency, the greater the ion movements and the resulting energy demand. In the mouse optic nerve (MON), the stimulus evoked compound action potential (CAP) displays a triple peaked profile, consistent with subpopulations of axons classified by size producing the distinct peaks. The three CAP peaks show differential sensitivity to high-frequency firing, with the large axons, which contribute to the 1st peak, more resilient than the small axons, which produce the 3rd peak. Modeling studies predict frequency dependent intra-axonal Na+ accumulation at the nodes of Ranvier, sufficient to attenuate the triple peaked CAP. Short bursts of high-frequency stimulus evoke transient elevations in interstitial K+ ([K+ ]o ), which peak at about 50 Hz. However, powerful astrocytic buffering limits the [K+ ]o increase to levels insufficient to cause CAP attenuation. A post-stimulus [K+ ]o undershoot below baseline coincides with a transient increase in the amplitudes of all three CAP peaks. The volume specific scaling relating energy expenditure to increasing axon size dictates that large axons are more resilient to high-frequency firing than small axons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Hopper
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | | | - Angus M. Brown
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK,Department of Neurology, School of MedicineUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
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Activity-Dependent Fluctuations in Interstitial [K +]: Investigations Using Ion-Sensitive Microelectrodes. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020523. [PMID: 36677581 PMCID: PMC9865121 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In the course of action potential firing, all axons and neurons release K+ from the intra- cellular compartment into the interstitial space to counteract the depolarizing effect of Na+ influx, which restores the resting membrane potential. This efflux of K+ from axons results in K+ accumulation in the interstitial space, causing depolarization of the K+ reversal potential (EK), which can prevent subsequent action potentials. To ensure optimal neuronal function, the K+ is buffered by astrocytes, an energy-dependent process, which acts as a sink for interstitial K+, absorbing it at regions of high concentration and distributing it through the syncytium for release in distant regions. Pathological processes in which energy production is compromised, such as anoxia, ischemia, epilepsy and spreading depression, can lead to excessive interstitial K+ accumulation, disrupting sensitive trans-membrane ion gradients and attenuating neuronal activity. The changes that occur in interstitial [K+] resulting from both physiological and pathological processes can be monitored accurately in real time using K+-sensitive microelectrodes, an invaluable tool in electrophysiological studies.
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Magnaghi V, Bonalume V. Axonal tuning by GABA A receptor unveils novel tricks from an old dog. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:533-534. [DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.346489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Radomski KL, Zi X, Lischka FW, Noble MD, Galdzicki Z, Armstrong RC. Acute axon damage and demyelination are mitigated by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) therapy after experimental traumatic brain injury. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:67. [PMID: 35501931 PMCID: PMC9059462 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01366-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Damage to long axons in white matter tracts is a major pathology in closed head traumatic brain injury (TBI). Acute TBI treatments are needed that protect against axon damage and promote recovery of axon function to prevent long term symptoms and neurodegeneration. Our prior characterization of axon damage and demyelination after TBI led us to examine repurposing of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), an FDA-approved inhibitor of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels. 4-AP is currently indicated to provide symptomatic relief for patients with chronic stage multiple sclerosis, which involves axon damage and demyelination. We tested clinically relevant dosage of 4-AP as an acute treatment for experimental TBI and found multiple benefits in corpus callosum axons. This randomized, controlled pre-clinical study focused on the first week after TBI, when axons are particularly vulnerable. 4-AP treatment initiated one day post-injury dramatically reduced axon damage detected by intra-axonal fluorescence accumulations in Thy1-YFP mice of both sexes. Detailed electron microscopy in C57BL/6 mice showed that 4-AP reduced pathological features of mitochondrial swelling, cytoskeletal disruption, and demyelination at 7 days post-injury. Furthermore, 4-AP improved the molecular organization of axon nodal regions by restoring disrupted paranode domains and reducing Kv1.2 channel dispersion. 4-AP treatment did not resolve deficits in action potential conduction across the corpus callosum, based on ex vivo electrophysiological recordings at 7 days post-TBI. Thus, this first study of 4-AP effects on axon damage in the acute period demonstrates a significant decrease in multiple pathological hallmarks of axon damage after experimental TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kryslaine L. Radomski
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
| | - Xiaomei Zi
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
| | - Fritz W. Lischka
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
- Biomedical Instrumentation Center, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
| | - Mark D. Noble
- Department of Biomedical Genetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, 601 Elmwood Ave, Box 633, Rochester, NY 14642 USA
| | - Zygmunt Galdzicki
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
| | - Regina C. Armstrong
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
- Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 USA
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In computational models, action potential propagation in ultrathin axons is resilient despite considerable intracellular Na + accumulation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2120782119. [PMID: 35286212 PMCID: PMC8944268 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2120782119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
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12
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Reply to Kotler et al.: Changing ion concentrations in conductance-based models. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121944119. [PMID: 35286207 PMCID: PMC8944263 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121944119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
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