Mechanisms for signal transformation in lemniscal auditory thalamus.

1. During alertness, lemniscal thalamocortical neurons in the ventral medial geniculate body (MGBv) encode sound signals by firing action potentials in a tonic mode. When they are in a burst firing mode, characteristic of thalamic neurons during some sleep states, the same stimuli may have an alerting function, leading to conscious perception of sound. We investigated the intrinsic membrane properties of MGBv neurons in search of mechanisms that enable them to convert from burst to tonic firing modes, allowing accurate signal coding of sensory stimuli. 2. We studied thalamocortical relay neurons and identified neurons morphologically with injected N-(2-aminoethyl) biotinamide hydrochloride in in vitro slice preparations of young rats. With the use of the whole cell recording method, we examined the contributions of distinct conductances to voltage responses evoked by current pulses. The neurons (n = 74) displayed a narrow range of resting potentials (-68 +/- 4 mV, mean +/- SD) and an average input resistance of 226 +/- 100 M omega. The membrane time constant was 40 +/- 17.6 ms and the action potential threshold was -51.6 +/- 3 mV. 3. Injections of hyperpolarizing current pulses from rest revealed an inward rectification produced by two voltage-dependent components. A fast component, sensitive to blockade with Ba2+ (100-200 microM), was attributed to an inward rectifier, IIR. Such applications also increased input resistance and depolarized neurons, consistent with a blockade of various K+ conductances. Application of Ba2+ often unmasked another voltage-dependent rectification with a slower time course. The second component was sensitive to blockade with Cs+ (1.5 mM), reminiscent of a hyperpolarization-activated current, IH. 4. Depolarizing pulses from rest produced ramp-shaped voltage responses that led to delayed tonic firing. Blockade of Na+ conductances by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 300-600 nM), or extracellular replacement of Ca2+ with Mg2+ (with TTX present), reduced the slope of the ramp and the overall depolarizing response. Application of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 100 microM), a blocker of A-type K+ conductances, increased input resistance and the overall depolarizing response. The voltage ramp therefore represents a complex rectification due to voltage-dependent contributions of persistent Na-, Ca2+, and K+ conductances. 5. Depolarizing pulses from potentials of less than -75 mV evoked phasic burst responses, consisting of one to seven action potentials riding on a low-threshold spike (LTS). The LTS was absent in low extracellular Ca2+ conditions and was blocked by application of Ni2+ (0.6 mM), but not by Cd2+ (50 microM). Similar depolarization from less than -80 mV evoked several action potentials, often followed by a TTX-resistant high-threshold spike (HTS) of longer duration. Firing of HTSs always occurred during 4-AP (100 microM) application, inferring that, normally, A-type K+ conductances may control ability to fire an HTS. As in the LTS, a Ca2+ current is a major participant in the HTS because extracellular replacement of Ca2+ with Mg2+ or application of Cd2+ (50 microM) blocked its genesis. After TTX blockade of Na+ conductances, "tonic firing" of HTSs occurred during depolarization above -45 mV. 6. During tonic firing evoked by current pulses, the second and subsequent spikes were longer in duration than the initial action potentials. Low extracellular concentrations of Ca2+ or Cd2+ (50 microM) application reduced the durations of the nonprimary spikes, inferring a contribution of high-threshold voltage-dependent Ca2+ conductances to their repolarizing phase. Also, K+ conductances may contribute to spike repolarization, because 4-AP (100 microM) or tetraethylammonium (2 mM) application led to prolonged action potentials and the generation of plateau potentials. A fast afterhyperpolarization, likely mediated by a Ca(2+)-dependent K+ conductance, limited the tonic firing. Such conductances, therefore, may regulate the re