Kv4.2 channel activity controls intrinsic firing dynamics of arcuate kisspeptin neurons

摘要

Key points class="unordered" style="list-style-type:disc" id="tjp12758-list-0001">Neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain which secrete the peptide kisspeptin are important regulators of reproduction, and normal reproductive development.Electrical activity, in the form of action potentials, or spikes, leads to secretion of peptides and neurotransmitters, influencing the activity of downstream neurons; in kisspeptin neurons, this activity is highly irregular, but the mechanism of this is not known.In this study, we show that irregularity depends on the presence of a particular type of potassium ion channel in the membrane, which opens transiently in response to electrical excitation.The results contribute to understanding how kisspeptin neurons generate and time their membrane potential spikes, and how reliable this process is.Improved understanding of the activity of kisspeptin neurons, and how it shapes their secretion of peptides, is expected to lead to better treatment for reproductive dysfunction and disorders of reproductive development.