Afferent synaptic transmission in a hair cell organ: pharmacological and physiological analysis of the role of the extended refractory period.

One feature of neuronal discharge proposed to play a role in coding temporal information is the relative refractory period that follows each action potential. In neurons innervating hair cells, there is an extended refractory period that can last </=100 ms. We have taken a pharmacological approach to examine the extended refractory period in the Xenopus lateral line organ. We show that each action potential in the afferent fiber, whether generated spontaneously or through an antidromic electrical pulse, decreases the probability of subsequent afferent discharge for a period of </=100 ms. We show that the extended refractory period can be modulated with drugs that alter glutamatergic transmission between the hair cell and the afferent fiber. The extended refractory period can be enhanced by perfusion with agents that reduce synaptic activity. These agents include blockers of voltage-dependent transmitter release, such as cobalt, as well as glutamate receptor antagonists, such as CNQX and kynurenic acid. Conversely, perfusion with agents that increase synaptic activity through activation of the glutamate receptors, such as AMPA or kainate, reduces the magnitude of suppression during the extended refractory period. The extended refractory period is greatly reduced by iberiotoxin and tetraethylammonium (TEA), indicating it may be mediated in large part by a calcium-dependent potassium channel. The ability to modulate the extended refractory period with changes in synaptic input suggests a simple, dynamic mechanism by which strong input (i.e., large or frequent excitatory postsynaptic potentials) can be strengthened and weak inputs weakened.