First published online November 2, 2007
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 3962-3969 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.006577
Histamine operates Cl–-gated channels in crayfish neurosecretory cells
Jorge Cebada and
Ubaldo García*
Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Neuroscience, Centro de
Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN (CINVESTAV-IPN), Av.
Instituto Politécnico Nacional 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, 07360
México City, México

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Fig. 1. HA inhibits the excitability of the XO-SG system in the isolated eyestalk
preparation. (A) Schematic representation of the experimental array used to
obtain simultaneous recordings from an X-organ cell body and the XO-SG tract.
(B) Fluorescence micrography of the X-organ region obtained after retrograde
staining of the tract OX-SG with Calcium Green-dextran. (C) Effect of HA on
the spontaneous electrical activity propagated along the XO-SG tract (upper
trace); note that during the HA superfusion (50 µmol l–1)
most of the electrical activity was inhibited. This effect is due to the
hyperpolarization evoked by HA on the X-organ cells (intracellular recording,
bottom trace). (D) Hyperpolarization evoked by HA is associated with an
increase in membrane conductance, indicated by reduction of the input
resistance. The dotted lines indicate zero membrane potential.
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Fig. 2. HA activates a Cl– conductance in X-organ neurons. (A)
Current-clamp recordings from an X-organ neuron in culture. Note that during
the application of HA, the membrane potential (Em) reached
–60 mV at all holding potentials explored. (B,C) HA-evoked currents
(IHA) obtained at different holding potentials from
–80 to –20 mV; the interval between each HA pulse was 3 min. All
the traces were obtained from the same neuron at two Cl–
equilibrium potentials (–62.5 mV for B and –32 mV for C). (D)
Current–voltage relationship for the experimental conditions described
in B and C. Both the solid circle and open circle curves correspond to the
average ± s.e.m. of 12 cells, and the Cl– equilibrium
potential corresponded to –62.5 mV or –32 mV, respectively.
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Fig. 3. Cl– ligand-gated currents in X-organ neurons. (A)
Representative current traces obtained from the same neuron in response to the
EC50 concentrations for Glu, GABA and HA. (B) Glu-evoked currents
obtained after, during and before the superfusion of a desensitizing Glu
concentration (3 µmol l–1, upper traces); note that the
HA-evoked currents modified neither the amplitude nor the time course during
the Glu superfusion (bottom traces). (C) As in B, GABA superfusion (1 µmol
l–1) did not modify the HA-evoked current (bottom traces),
but desensitized the GABA response (upper traces). Arrows mark the current
traces obtained during the superfusion of Glu or GABA.
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Fig. 4. X-organ neuron sensitivity to HA. (A) Representative HA-evoked currents
obtained at –40 mV holding potential, during application of HA pulses at
the indicated concentrations. (B) Peak currents (mean ± s.e.m.)
versus HA concentration (3–5 observations per point). The solid
line correspond to a non-linear regression using
Imax=1/[1+(EC50/HA)n],
where HA=molar HA concentration, n=the Hill coefficient and
EC50=HA concentration giving half-maximal effect, being the free
parameters. The fit yielded EC50=3.3±1 µmol
l–1 and n=2.6±0.4.
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Fig. 5. Effects of Cl– channel blockers on the HA response in
X-organ neurons. (A,B) Superimposed current traces obtained after, during and
before the superfusion of Cl– channel blockers. Neither
picrotoxin nor strychnine at 100 µmol l–1 modified the
HA-evoked current. (C) The cholinergic antagonist, d-tubocurarine
(dTC; 20 µmol l–1) blocked the HA-evoked current
reversibly. (D) Average current–voltage curves (5 observations per
point); solid circles, control conditions; open circles, blockage exerted by
dTC. (E) Inhibition curve. Each point represents the average value for five
observations. The solid line corresponds to a non-linear regression giving an
adjusted IC50=21±2 µmol l–1.
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Fig. 6. Effects of HAergic antagonists on the HA evoked-current in X-organ neurons.
(A–D) Current traces evoked by HA (5 µmol l–1, 10 s)
after, during and before the superfusion of H1 and H2 antagonists at the
indicated concentrations; all the records were obtained at a holding potential
of –40 mV, and the interval between pulses was 3 min. Note that in all
cases the blockage was reversible. (E) Normalized peak currents (mean ±
s.e.m.) versus log molar concentration of H1 and H2 antagonists
(4–6 observations per point; see the IC50 values in the
text). Squares, tiotidine; diamonds, cimetidine; circles, ranitidine;
triangles, mepyramine.
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Fig. 7. Distribution of HA immunoreactivity in the crayfish eyestalk. (A) Schematic
representation of a dorsal view of the eyestalk and the relative position of
HAergic like single neurons. LG, lamina ganglionaris; ME, medulla externa; GS,
sinus gland; MI, medulla interna; MT, medulla terminalis; HB, hemielpsoidal
body; ON, optic nerve. (B,C) FITC fluorescence for HA immunoreactive neurons
observed by confocal microscopy; image compositions were done by merging 200
slides (1 µm section thickness). Scale bars, 20 µm.
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007