Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Brief Communication
  • Published:

Action potentials contribute to neuronal signaling in C. elegans

Nature Neuroscience volume 11, pages 865–867 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Small, high-impedance neurons with short processes, similar to those found in the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, are predicted to transmit electrical signals by passive propagation. However, we have found that certain neurons in C. elegans fire regenerative action potentials. These neurons resembled Schmitt triggers, as their potential state appears to be bistable. Transitions between up and down states could be triggered by application of the neurotransmitter glutamate or brief current pulses.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: The RMD neuron fires action potentials and shows bistability.
Figure 2: Action potentials in RMD depend on external Ca2+.
Figure 3: Mutations in either voltage-gated or voltage-insensitive cation channels do not eliminate action potentials in RMD neurons.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. de Bono, M. & Maricq, A.V. Annu. Rev. Neurosci. 28, 451–501 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Yu, F.H., Yarov-Yarovoy, V., Gutman, G.A. & Catterall, W.A. Pharmacol. Rev. 57, 387–395 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Goodman, M.B., Hall, D.H., Avery, L. & Lockery, S.R. Neuron 20, 763–772 (1998).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Davis, R.E. & Stretton, A.O. Parasitology 113 Suppl: S97–S117 (1996).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Raizen, D.M. & Avery, L. Neuron 12, 483–495 (1994).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Shtonda, B. & Avery, L. J. Exp. Biol. 208, 2177–2190 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Davis, R.E. & Stretton, A.O. J. Neurosci. 9, 415–425 (1989).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Zheng, Y., Brockie, P.J., Mellem, J.E., Madsen, D.M. & Maricq, A.V. Neuron 24, 347–361 (1999).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Brockie, P.J., Madsen, D.M., Zheng, Y., Mellem, J. & Maricq, A.V. J. Neurosci. 21, 1510–1522 (2001).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Francis, M.M. & Maricq, A.V. Methods Mol. Biol. 351, 175–192 (2006).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Frokjaer-Jensen, C. et al. J. Neurobiol. 66, 1125–1139 (2006).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Humphrey, J.A. et al. Curr. Biol. 17, 624–629 (2007).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Zheng, Y., Mellem, J.E., Brockie, P.J., Madsen, D.M. & Maricq, A.V. Nature 427, 451–457 (2004).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Gray, J.M., Hill, J.J. & Bargmann, C.I. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 3184–3191 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Loewenstein, Y. et al. Nat. Neurosci. 8, 202–211 (2005).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank M. Vetter and members of the Maricq laboratory for comments on the manuscript and the Caenorhabditis Genetic Center, funded by the US National Institutes of Health National Center for Resources, for C. elegans strains. This research was made possible by support from the US National Institutes of Health (grant NS35812).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112-0840, USA

    Jerry E Mellem, Penelope J Brockie, David M Madsen & Andres V Maricq

Authors
  1. Jerry E Mellem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Penelope J Brockie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David M Madsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andres V Maricq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

J.E.M. carried out the electrophysiological experiments and participated in data analysis. P.J.B. generated strains, participated in data analysis and helped prepare the manuscript. D.M.M. provided molecular biology expertise and A.V.M. supervised the experiments, participated in data analysis and wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andres V Maricq.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Text and Figures

Supplementary Figures 1 and 2 (PDF 148 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mellem, J., Brockie, P., Madsen, D. et al. Action potentials contribute to neuronal signaling in C. elegans. Nat Neurosci 11, 865–867 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2131

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2131

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing