Simulation techniques for localising and identifying the kinetics of calcium channels in dendritic neurones

The present simulations were designed to determine whether the current-volt age (I-V) relationship obtained during voltage clamp was sufficient to char acterise the kinetics and distribution of dendritic Ca2+ channels in spinal motoneurones. Two models were constructed, one based on a fully reconstruc ted adult cat motoneurone (neuromorphic model) the second a reduced two-com partment motoneurone model. The current-voltage (I-V) relationship in the n euromorphic model was used as a template to evaluate the I-V behaviour of t he reduced model while simulating changes in location and kinetics of the c alcium channels. The results show that the discriminative quality of the re duced model is low and the neuromorphic model remains the better qualitativ e match to the eletrophysiological results. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.