Functional asymmetry and plasticity of electrical synapses interconnecting neurons through a 36-state model of gap junction channel gating
Fig 3
Asymmetry of electrical coupling between two neurons with different input resistances, Rin,1 and Rin,2.
A) An electrical scheme of two cells connected through soma-somatic gap junctions. Membrane voltages of cell-1 and cell-2 (V1 and V2) are described by Hodgkin–Huxley equations (HH). Junctional conductance (gj) depends on transjunctional voltage (Vj) and is estimated from the 36-state model (36SM) of gap junction channel gating. An external current (Iext) can be applied to either of the cells. B–C) Simulated changes of transmembrane potential (Vm) in cell-1 and cell-2 during the external current step of –100 pA applied to cell-1 (B) or cell-2 (C); here Rin,1/Rin,2 = 2 and the junctional conductance (gj) was equal to 4 nS. D) The dependence of coupling asymmetry, K2-1/K1-2, on the ratio of input resistances, Rin,1/Rin,2, at different gjs; here K1-2 = V2/V1 and K2-1 = V1/V2.