This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Roberts, C. B. Articles by Suter, K. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Roberts, C. B. Articles by Suter, K. J.

Dendritic Action Potential Initiation in Hypothalamic Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons

Department of Biology (C.B.R., K.J.S.), University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249; Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Physiology (R.E.C., A.E.H.), University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (C.B.R.), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Kelly Suter, Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249. E-mail: kelly.suter{at}utsa.edu.

It is dogma that action potentials are initiated at the soma/axon hillock of neurons. However, dendrites often exhibit conductances necessary for spike generation and represent functionally independent processing compartments within neurons. GnRH neurons provide an interesting neuronal phenotype with simple, relatively unbranched, unipolar or bipolar dendrites of extensive lengths (>1000 µm) covered in spines. These neurons control fertility and must integrate a variety of internal homeostatic and external environmental cues. We used imaging, electrophysiological, and modeling studies to understand how they integrate and process information along dendrites. Simultaneous recordings from distal dendrites and somata of individual GnRH neurons indicate distal dendrites are the primary site of spike initiation in these cells. Compartmental modeling indicates that sites of spike initiation depend upon location of excitatory input and dendrite geometry. Together, these studies demonstrate a novel pattern of spike generation in mammalian neurons and indicate that afferent inputs within distal dendritic microdomains directly initiate action potentials.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. E. Campbell, G. Gaidamaka, S.-K. Han, and A. E. Herbison Dendro-dendritic bundling and shared synapses between gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons PNAS, June 30, 2009; 106(26): 10835 - 10840. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. A. Christian, J. Pielecka-Fortuna, and S. M. Moenter Estradiol Suppresses Glutamatergic Transmission to Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons in a Model of Negative Feedback in Mice Biol Reprod, June 1, 2009; 80(6): 1128 - 1135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]