Characterization of voltage-gated ionic currents in a peripheral sensory neuron in larval Drosophila

Amit Nair,Stefan R Pulver,Michael Bate

doi:10.1186/1756-0500-3-154

Abstract

BackgroundThe development, morphology and genetics of sensory neurons have been extensively studied in Drosophila. Sensory neurons in the body wall of larval Drosophila in particular have been the subject of numerous anatomical studies, however, little is known about the intrinsic electrical properties of larval sensory cells.FindingsWe performed whole cell patch recordings from an identified peripheral sensory cell, the dorsal bipolar sensory neuron (dbd) and measured voltage-gated ionic currents in 1st instar larvae. Voltage clamp analysis revealed that dbds have a TEA sensitive, non-inactivating IK type potassium current as well as a 4-AP sensitive, inactivating IA type potassium current. dbds also show a voltage-gated calcium current (ICa) and a voltage-gated sodium current (INa).ConclusionsThis work provides a first characterization of voltage-activated ionic currents in an identified body-wall sensory neuron in larval Drosophila. Overall, we establish baseline physiology data for future studies aimed at understanding the ionic and genetic basis of sensory neuron function in fruit flies and other model organisms.

Highlights

The development, morphology and genetics of sensory neurons have been extensively studied in Drosophila
This work provides a first characterization of voltage-activated ionic currents in an identified body-wall sensory neuron in larval Drosophila
We find that dbd neurons express multiple voltage-activated currents similar to those observed in the central nervous system (CNS) of Drosophila larvae

Summary

Introduction

The development, morphology and genetics of sensory neurons have been extensively studied in Drosophila. In Drosophila, a number of studies, performed in culture, have identified the different categories of voltage gated ion channels underlying intrinsic properties in neurons [1,2,3,4,5]. Since these studies were done in culture, the identity of individual neurons could never be determined. The characteristics of cultured neurons may not be representative of neurons in vivo [46] Several studies addressed this problem in adult flies and developed techniques for recording from identified groups of neurons in acutely dissociated [7,8] and semiintact preparations [9,10]

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