THE EFFECTS OF STEROID-HORMONES ON ELECTRICAL-ACTIVITY OF EXCITABLE CELLS

Steroid hormones influence the electrical activity of many neurons and effecters by regulating the transcription of their ion channels and n eurotransmitter receptors, or by modulating the activity of their chan nels and receptors through second messenger-coupled membrane receptors , or both. In this article, four cell types with known functions and d istinct electrical activities are focused on to illustrate how differe nt steroids act synergistically with, or in opposition to, each other to modulate specific electrical phenomena such as spontaneous regular firing (GH3 cells, a pituitary cell line), action potential duration ( electric organ cells), and intrinsic excitability and sensitivity to n eurotransmitters (GnRH and opioidergic neurons),These examples illustr ate how steroids might influence electrical activity in neurons involv ed in more complex central circuits.