The plasma membrane electrical activities of neurons that secrete gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), referred to as GnRH neurons hereafter, have been studied extensively. A couple of mathematical models have been developed previously to explain different aspects of these activities including spontaneous spiking and responses to stimuli such as current injections, GnRH, thapsigargin (Tg) and apamin. The goal of this paper is to develop one single, minimal model that accounts for the experimental results reproduced by previously existing models and results that were not accounted for by these models. The latter includes two types of membrane potential bursting mechanisms and the associated calcium oscillations in the cytosol. One of them has not been reported in experimental literatures on GnRH neurons and is thus regarded as a model prediction. Other improvements achieved in this model include the incorporation of a more detailed description of calcium dynamics in a three dimensional cell body with the ion channels evenly distributed on the cell surface. Although the model is mainly based on data collected in cultured GnRH cell lines, we show that it is capable of explaining some properties of GnRH neurons observed in several of other preparations including mature GnRH neurons in hypothalamic slices. One potential explanation is suggested. A phenomenological reduction of this model into a simplified form is presented. The simplified model will facilitate the study of the roles of plasma membrane electrical activities on the pulsatile release of GnRH by these neurons when it is coupled with a model of pulsatile GnRH release based on the autoregulation mechanism.

The plasma membrane electrical activities of neurons that secrete gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), referred to as GnRH neurons hereafter, have been studied extensively. A couple of mathematical models have been developed previously to explain different aspects of these activities including spontaneous spiking and responses to stimuli such as current injections, GnRH, thapsigargin (Tg) and apamin. The goal of this paper is to develop one single, minimal model that accounts for the experimental results reproduced by previously existing models and results that were not accounted for by these models. The latter includes two types of membrane potential bursting mechanisms and the associated calcium oscillations in the cytosol. One of them has not been reported in experimental literatures on GnRH neurons and is thus regarded as a model prediction. Other improvements achieved in this model include the incorporation of a more detailed description of calcium dynamics in a three dimensional cell body with the ion channels evenly distributed on the cell surface. Although the model is mainly based on data collected in cultured GnRH cell lines, we show that it is capable of explaining some properties of GnRH neurons observed in several of other preparations including mature GnRH neurons in hypothalamic slices. One potential explanation is suggested. A phenomenological reduction of this model into a simplified form is presented. The simplified model will facilitate the study of the roles of plasma membrane electrical activities on the pulsatile release of GnRH by these neurons when it is coupled with a model of pulsatile GnRH release based on the autoregulation mechanism.

The plasma membrane electrical activities of neurons that secrete gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), referred to as GnRH neurons hereafter, have been studied extensively. A couple of mathematical models have been developed previously to explain different aspects of these activities including spontaneous spiking and responses to stimuli such as current injections, GnRH, thapsigargin (Tg) and apamin. The goal of this paper is to develop one single, minimal model that accounts for the experimental results reproduced by previously existing models and results that were not accounted for by these models. The latter includes two types of membrane potential bursting mechanisms and the associated calcium oscillations in the cytosol. One of them has not been reported in experimental literatures on GnRH neurons and is thus regarded as a model prediction. Other improvements achieved in this model include the incorporation of a more detailed description of calcium dynamics in a three dimensional cell body with the ion channels evenly distributed on the cell surface. Although the model is mainly based on data collected in cultured GnRH cell lines, we show that it is capable of explaining some properties of GnRH neurons observed in several of other preparations including mature GnRH neurons in hypothalamic slices. One potential explanation is suggested. A phenomenological reduction of this model into a simplified form is presented. The simplified model will facilitate the study of the roles of plasma membrane electrical activities on the pulsatile release of GnRH by these neurons when it is coupled with a model of pulsatile GnRH release based on the autoregulation mechanism. / Science, Faculty of / Mathematics, Department of / Graduate

Denervation leads to skeletal muscle atrophy, which is a decrease in muscle mass and force; the latter exceeding expectation from mass loss. In some cases, nerve regeneration following an injury takes several months. During this time, muscle mass and force loss become severe as fibers are replaced by connective and fat tissue, which can further prolongs normal muscle function recovery once reinnervation occurs. The objectives of this study were 1) document the angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7) hypertrophic effect in innervated mouse skeletal muscle; 2) test the hypothesis that Ang 1-7 prevents muscle atrophy and maintain force following short 2 and 4 week denervation; 3) as well as following long 16 week denervation. Innervated and denervated mice were treated with Ang 1-7 or diminazene aceturate (DIZE), an ACE2 activator, to increase plasma Ang 1-7 level. In normal innervated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle, Ang 1-7 increased muscle weight, cross sectional area (CSA) and tetanic force, which represents the muscle maximum force. During the short denervation period (2-4 weeks), Ang 1-7 did not prevent muscle mass and CSA loss, but fully abolished the loss of normalized tetanic force to CSA while accentuating twitch force. Normalized tetanic force was maintained as Ang 1-7 partially reduced the extent of membrane depolarization which normally observed with denervation, and it fully prevented the loss of membrane excitability. The protective effect of Ang 1-7 on maximum tetanic force was also observed after 16 weeks of denervation, but only in EDL not in soleus. About 35-40% of denervated EDL and soleus muscle fibers became reinnervated over the 16 week period and Ang 1-7 enhanced the recovery of muscle mass and tetanic force in both EDL and soleus. All Ang 1-7 effects on twitch and tetanic force were completely blocked by A779, a Mas receptor (MasR) antagonist, and were not observed in MasR deficient (MasR / ) muscles. Ang 1-7 did not affect how denervation modulates changes in the protein content MuRF-1 atrogin-1, two atrophic proteins, total and phosphorylated Akt, S6K and 4EPB, three hypertrophic proteins. So, the Ang 1-7 effect involves an activation of its MasR, but it is not clear which intracellular pathway it then affects. This is the first study providing evidence that Ang 1-7 maintains normal muscle function in terms of tetanic force and membrane excitability during 2, 4 and 16 week denervation periods.

Muscle fatigue is an intrinsic myoprotective process that prevents damaging ATP depletion during intense or prolonged exercise by limiting ATP demand when ATP production becomes insufficient. One mechanism of fatigue involves a reduction in membrane excitability with the opening of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) and ClC-1 Cl- channels, resulting in submaximal sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release and reduced force generation, but the intracellular signalling pathways for this process is unknown. As a first step toward understanding this process, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that adenosine receptors (ARs) and AMPK trigger fatigue when a metabolic stress occurs during muscular activity. Compared to control conditions, a pan-activation of ARs with 10 µM adenosine and NECA initially reduced the fatigue rate during the first 60 s of a 3 min fatigue bout triggered with 1 tetanic contraction every s. An activation of the A1 adenosine receptor (A1R) with 10 and 20 µM ENBA resulted in faster rate of fatigue; an effect blocked by 5 µM DPCPX, an A1R antagonist. At 10 and 20 µM, adenosine, NECA, and ENBA activated AMPK via an increased in T172 phosphorylation. At 10 µM, MK8722, an AMPK agonist, initially caused a reduction in fatigue rate during the first 60 s followed by an increased fatigue rate during the last 2 min of the fatigue bout. Co-activation of ARs and AMPK did not give rise to either an additive or synergistic effect. FDB from AMPK α1-/- and α2-/- mice had faster fatigue rate and greater increased in unstimulated force compared to FDB from AMPK α1+/+ and α2+/+ mice. It is suggested that ARs and AMPK play a role in the mechanism of fatigue when a metabolic stress develops during muscle activity.