Estimating the Effects of Slicing on the Electrophysiological Properties of Spinal Motoneurons Under Normal and Disease Conditions

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2021

Identifier/URL

92425109 (Orcid)

Abstract

Although slice recordings from spinal motoneurons (MNs) are being widely used, the effects of slicing on the measured MN elec-trical properties under normal and disease conditions have not been assessed. Using high-fidelity cell models of neonatal wild-type (WT) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD) cells, we examined the effects of slice thickness, soma position within the slice,and slice orientation to estimate the error induced in measured MN electrical properties from spinal slices. Our results show thatmost MN electrical properties are not adversely affected by slicing, except for cell time constant, cell capacitance, and Ca2+per-sistent inward current (PIC), which all exhibited large errors, regardless of the slice condition. Among the examined factors, somaposition within the slice appears to be the strongest factor in influencing the magnitude of error in measured MN electrical prop-erties. Transverse slices appear to have the least impact on measured MN electrical properties. Surprisingly, and despite theiranatomical enlargement, we found that G85R-SOD MNs experience similar error in their measured electrical properties to thoseof WT MNs, but their errors are more sensitive to the soma position within the slice than WT MNs. Unless in thick and symmetri-cal slices, slicing appears to reduce motoneuron type differences. Accordingly, slice studies should attempt to record from MNsat the slice center to avoid large and inconsistent errors in measured cell properties and have valid cell measurements’compari-sons. Our results, therefore, offer information that would enhance the rigor of MN electrophysiological data measured from theslice preparation under normal and disease condition. NEW & NOTEWORTHYAlthough slice recordings from motoneurons are being widely used, the effects of slicing on the meas-ured motoneuron electrical properties under normal and disease conditions have not been assessed. Using high-fidelity cellmodels of neonatal WT and SOD cells, we examined the effects of slice thickness, soma position within the slice, and slice orien-tation. Our results offer information that enhances the rigor of MN electrophysiological data measured from the slice preparationunder normal and disease conditions

DOI

10.1152/jn.00543.2020

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