Control of locomotion in marine mollusc Clione limacina. VII Reexamination of type 12 interneurons.

In previous work carried out on the isolated pedal ganglia of the pteropod mollusc Clione limacina we described the activity of a neuronal element (type 12 neuron) and looked into its role in the locomotor rhythm generation (Arshavasky et al. 1985d). As we learned subsequently, the activity was recorded from the neuron axon passing in the pedal ganglia, while the neuron soma was located in the pleural ganglia and consequently was cut off in the course of pedal ganglia isolation. It thus became necessary to reinvestigate the properties of this neuron and its role in locomotory rhythm generation by using less reduced preparation of the central nervous system. The following results were obtained. (1) Each pleural ganglion contains only one neuron of this type, this cell is thus to be considered as the identified neuron. The neuron's axon reaches into the pedal ganglion via the pleuro-pedal connective. Then the axon divides into two branches terminating in the lateral regions of both pedal ganglia. The neurons 12 from the left and right pleural ganglia have no direct connections with one another; their synchronous operation in the locomotor cycle is determined by common inputs. (2) The electrical properties of an intact neuron 12 and one without a soma are about the same. In either case the neuron generates "plateau" potentials, i.e., it may persist for a long time in the depolarized state. Plateau potentials can be induced by a depolarizing current pulse or by an EPSP, and terminated by hyperpolarizing current or by an IPSP. The neuron input resistance drops about twofold during generation of the plateau potential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)