Nigral dopamine neurons: intracellular recording and identification with L-dopa injection and histofluorescence.

Intracellular recordings in vivo were obtained from dopamine-containing neurons of the rat substantia nigra. These neurons were identified electrophysiologically by antidromic activation and histochemically by L-dopa injection and subsequent fluorescence histochemistry. Extracellular spikes and antidromic conduction velocity of the neurons were identical to those previously described for putative dopaminergic neurons. Spontaneous intracellular fast potentials, slow depolarizations during burst firing, and spike prepotentials were observed.