Peterson E
Biophys J. 1983 Jul;43(1):53-61. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(83)84323-9.
The heart excitor (HE) cells, a set of rhythmically active motor neurons, drive the heartbeat of the medicinal leech. Their activity is gated by inhibitory input from a network of interneurons, but that influence may be modified locally by electrotonic coupling between the HE cells. In this paper I analyze that electrotonic coupling by applying direct current and alternating current signals, and compare the results with predictions based on linear cable theory. The electrotonic junction itself appears to be conventional, but because of the membrane properties of the HE cells, the coupling strength depends upon both the frequency and polarity of the signal and the phase of heartbeat cycle when the signal is applied.
心脏兴奋(HE)细胞是一组有节律活动的运动神经元,驱动药用水蛭的心跳。它们的活动受中间神经元网络的抑制性输入控制,但这种影响可能会通过HE细胞之间的电紧张耦合在局部发生改变。在本文中,我通过施加直流和交流信号来分析这种电紧张耦合,并将结果与基于线性电缆理论的预测进行比较。电紧张连接本身似乎是传统的,但由于HE细胞的膜特性,耦合强度取决于信号的频率和极性以及施加信号时心跳周期的相位。