Objective To explore the possible mechanisms that cause the dentate gyrus （DG） neurons to play different roles in information coding. Methods In vivo extracellular single unit recording was performed on 22 waking fe...Objective To explore the possible mechanisms that cause the dentate gyrus （DG） neurons to play different roles in information coding. Methods In vivo extracellular single unit recording was performed on 22 waking female guinea pigs, which were positioned in a sound-attenuated recording chamber without any muscular relaxants. The spontaneous firing patterns of the DG neurons were detected and compared. Results There were two different electrophysiologi- cal populations in the DG of guinea pigs, principal cells （PCs） and fast spiking interneurons （INs）. Of the PCs, 1.3% discharged regularly, 48.1% irregularly and 50.6% in bursts ; in contrast, of the INs units, 64.1% discharged regularly, 2.6% irregularly and 33.3% in bursts. The spontaneous firing patterns of PCs were significantly different from those of INs （P 〈0.01 ）. In addition, the differences of several interspike interval （ISI） parameters also have been observed： （1） the ISI coefficients of variation of PCs （3.39 ± 3.56） were significantly higher than those of INs （1.08 ± 0.46） （P 〈0.01） ; （2） the ISI asymmetric indexes of PCs （0. 047±0. 059） were significantly lower than those of INs （0.569±0. 238） （P 〈 0.01 ）. Conclusion In the DG, the spontaneous firing patterns of PCs were significantly different from those of INs. The former were prone to fire in bursts, the latter were prone to fire regularly. The different roles in information coding between PCs and INs might be caused by their different firing patterns.展开更多
The epididymis is a single convoluted tubule lined by a pseudostratified epithelium. Specialized epididymal epithelial cells, the so-called principal, basal, narrow, and clear cells, establish a unique luminal environ...The epididymis is a single convoluted tubule lined by a pseudostratified epithelium. Specialized epididymal epithelial cells, the so-called principal, basal, narrow, and clear cells, establish a unique luminal environment for the maturation and storage of spermatozoa. The epididymis is functionally and structurally divided into several segments and sub-segments that create regionally distinct luminal environments. This organ is immature at birth, and epithelial cells acquire their fully differentiated phenotype during an extended postnatal period, but the factors involved in this complex process remain incompletely characterized. In the adult epididymis, the establishment of an acidic luminal pH and low bicarbonate concentration in the epididymis contributes to preventing premature activation of spermatozoa during their maturation and storage. Clear cells are proton-secreting cells throughout the epididymis, but principal cells have distinct acid/base transport properties, depending on their localization within the epididymis. Basal cells are located in all epididymal segments, but they have a distinct morphology depending on the segment and species examined. How this structural plasticity of basal cells is regulated is discussed here. Also, the role of luminal factors and androgens in the regulation of epithelial cells is reviewed in relation to their respective localization in the proximal versus distal regions of the epididymis. Finally, we describe a novel role for CFTR in tubulogenesis and epithelial cell differentiation.展开更多
文摘Objective To explore the possible mechanisms that cause the dentate gyrus （DG） neurons to play different roles in information coding. Methods In vivo extracellular single unit recording was performed on 22 waking female guinea pigs, which were positioned in a sound-attenuated recording chamber without any muscular relaxants. The spontaneous firing patterns of the DG neurons were detected and compared. Results There were two different electrophysiologi- cal populations in the DG of guinea pigs, principal cells （PCs） and fast spiking interneurons （INs）. Of the PCs, 1.3% discharged regularly, 48.1% irregularly and 50.6% in bursts ; in contrast, of the INs units, 64.1% discharged regularly, 2.6% irregularly and 33.3% in bursts. The spontaneous firing patterns of PCs were significantly different from those of INs （P 〈0.01 ）. In addition, the differences of several interspike interval （ISI） parameters also have been observed： （1） the ISI coefficients of variation of PCs （3.39 ± 3.56） were significantly higher than those of INs （1.08 ± 0.46） （P 〈0.01） ; （2） the ISI asymmetric indexes of PCs （0. 047±0. 059） were significantly lower than those of INs （0.569±0. 238） （P 〈 0.01 ）. Conclusion In the DG, the spontaneous firing patterns of PCs were significantly different from those of INs. The former were prone to fire in bursts, the latter were prone to fire regularly. The different roles in information coding between PCs and INs might be caused by their different firing patterns.
文摘The epididymis is a single convoluted tubule lined by a pseudostratified epithelium. Specialized epididymal epithelial cells, the so-called principal, basal, narrow, and clear cells, establish a unique luminal environment for the maturation and storage of spermatozoa. The epididymis is functionally and structurally divided into several segments and sub-segments that create regionally distinct luminal environments. This organ is immature at birth, and epithelial cells acquire their fully differentiated phenotype during an extended postnatal period, but the factors involved in this complex process remain incompletely characterized. In the adult epididymis, the establishment of an acidic luminal pH and low bicarbonate concentration in the epididymis contributes to preventing premature activation of spermatozoa during their maturation and storage. Clear cells are proton-secreting cells throughout the epididymis, but principal cells have distinct acid/base transport properties, depending on their localization within the epididymis. Basal cells are located in all epididymal segments, but they have a distinct morphology depending on the segment and species examined. How this structural plasticity of basal cells is regulated is discussed here. Also, the role of luminal factors and androgens in the regulation of epithelial cells is reviewed in relation to their respective localization in the proximal versus distal regions of the epididymis. Finally, we describe a novel role for CFTR in tubulogenesis and epithelial cell differentiation.
