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Ionic basis of tonic firing in spinal substantia gelatinosa neurons of rat.

Ionic conductances underlying excitability in tonically firing neurons (TFNs) from substantia gelatinosa (SG) were studied by the patch-clamp method in rat spinal cord slices. Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) (K(CA)) conductance sensitive to apamin was found to prolong the interspike intervals and stabilize firing evoked by a sustained membrane depolarization. Suppression of Ca(2+) and K(CA) currents, however, did not abolish the basic pattern of tonic firing, indicating that it was generated by voltage-gated Na(+) and K(+) currents. Na(+) and K(+) channels were further analyzed in somatic nucleated patches. Na(+) channels exhibited fast activation and inactivation kinetics and followed two-exponential time course of recovery from inactivation. The major K(+) current was carried through tetraethylammonium (TEA)-sensitive rapidly activating delayed-rectifier (K(DR)) channels with a slow inactivation. The TEA-insensitive transient A-type K(+) (K(A)) current was very small in patches and was strongly inactivated at resting potential. Block of K(DR) rather than K(A) conductance by 1 mM TEA lowered the frequency and stability of firing. Intracellular staining with biocytin revealed at least three morphological groups of TFNs. Finally, on the basis of present data, we created a model of TFN and showed that Na(+) and K(DR) currents are sufficient to generate a basic pattern of tonic firing. It is concluded that the balanced contribution of all ionic conductances described here is important for generation and modulation of tonic firing in SG neurons.