Membrane properties of the granule cells of the islands of Calleja of the rat studied in vitro.

1. Using patch-clamp techniques, we have studied granule neurones from the islands of Calleja in vitro: as isolated cells or as groups of varying numbers following enzymic digestion, or within untreated slices of approximately 100 microns thickness. 2. Recordings were made with patch pipettes in conventional or nystatin-perforated whole-cell mode. Current-clamp recordings indicated that these granule cells are excitable and at resting potential produce irregular spontaneous activity. In voltage clamp the transient inward current underlying these action potentials could be evoked. This current had a threshold for activation of about -50 mV and was sensitive to TTX. In some cells a TTX-resistant transient inward current was observed with a threshold for activation of about -70 mV. 3. Island of Calleja granule cells also exhibited outward currents. A rapidly activating transient current was observed that was resistant to TEA and sensitive to 4-AP, and therefore resembled IA. The current was half-maximally activated at -6 mV and steady-state inactivation was half-complete at -65 mV. 4. More sustained outward currents were also observed. Although some cells appeared to express a Ca(2+)-activated K+ current, the most common finding was a rapidly activating, slowly inactivating, voltage-dependent K+ current that was sensitive to TEA and Ba2+. This current resembled M-current more than delayed rectifier but displayed a number of idiosyncratic kinetic properties. Chief amongst these was the accumulation of an inactivating process when the current was repeatedly evoked from potentials near the cells' resting value by voltage steps that by themselves produced no observable inactivation during the voltage command; this behaviour was similar to the 'C-terminal' inactivation exhibited by lymphocytes and certain expressed K+ channel clones (Kv1.3). 5. These results indicate that the granule cells of the islands of Calleja are excitable and contain a number of additional regulatory conductances. The implications of these findings in, and the usefulness of this preparation to, the elucidation of the function(s) of the islands of Calleja are discussed.