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Transmembrane currents in frog olfactory cilia

The Journal of Membrane Biology volume 120, pages 75–81 (1991)Cite this article

Summary

We have measured transmembrane currents in intact single cilia from frog olfactory receptor neurons. A single cilium on a neuron was sucked into a patch pipette, and a high-resistance seal was formed near the base of the cilium. Action potentials could be induced by applying suction or a voltage ramp to the ciliary membrane. A transient current was seen in some cells on stimulation with odorants. After excision from the cell, most of the cilia showed increased conductance in a bath containing cAMP, indicating that the cytoplasmic face of the ciliary membrane was accessible to the bath. The estimated resistance of a single cilium was surprisingly low.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati, 45267-0521, Cincinnati, Ohio

    Steven J. Kleene & Robert C. Gesteland

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  1. Steven J. Kleene
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  2. Robert C. Gesteland
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Kleene, S.J., Gesteland, R.C. Transmembrane currents in frog olfactory cilia. J. Membrain Biol. 120, 75–81 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01868593

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01868593

Key Words

  • olfaction
  • receptor
  • electrophysiology