Jgg. Borst et al., IN-SITU RECORDINGS OF PRESUMED FOLLICULO-STELLATE CELLS IN THE INTERMEDIATE LOBE OF THE PITUITARY-GLAND OF XENOPUS-LAEVIS, Neuroscience letters, 209(1), 1996, pp. 61-64
In situ whole cell voltage clamp recordings of presumed folliculo-stel
late cells were made in the intermediate lobe of the clawed toad Xenop
us laevis. Lucifer Yellow fillings revealed, in addition to the small,
spherical melanotropes, a population of larger cells with many proces
ses that were, to a limited extent, dye-coupled and are assumed to be
folliculo-stellate cells. The presumed folliculo-stellate cells differ
ed strongly from the melanotropes in electrophysiological properties.
The cells had a membrane resistance of <600 M Omega (at-100 to -80 mV)
and a membrane potential of ca. -90 mV, close to the equilibrium pote
ntial for K+. At potentials of greater than or equal to-20 mV, most of
the cells displayed a rapidly activating and slowly inactivating outw
ard K+ current, In all cells, hyperpolarizing pulses to less than or e
qual to-100 mV activated an inward rectifying K+ current.