Figure 3

Electrophysiological characteristics of synaptic transmission in the VGAT^-/- spinal cord. (A) A representative whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from control motoneurons (MNs) in a voltage clamp. In control motoneurons, spontaneous outward currents were observed when the membrane potential was held at -40 mV (upper trace). These currents were blocked by bath application of strychnine (STRY, 0.5 μM) and picrotoxin (50 μM) (middle trace). Inward currents persisted in the presence of these antagonists and became prominent when the membrane potential was held at -70 mV. (B) In VGAT^-/- (VGAT-/-) MNs, no spontaneous outward currents were observed (upper trace). Inward currents observed at -70 mV (middle trace) were blocked by CNQX (10 μM) and AP5 (50 μM). Vertical bars indicate 100 pA (A) and 50 pA (B). Horizontal bars indicate 2 s (A, B).