Primary cold-sensitive neurons in acutely dissociated cells of rat hypothalamus

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2003-05, Vol.342 (1), p.29-32
• Main Authors: Abe, Junji, Okazawa, Makoto, Adachi, Ryutaro, Matsumura, Kiyoshi, Kobayashi, Shigeo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acutely dissociated cells; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Temperature Regulation; Ca 2+ imaging; Calcium - metabolism; Cell Culture Techniques; Cold Temperature; Cold-sensitive neuron; Electrophysiology; Extracellular recording; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hypothalamus, Anterior - metabolism; Hypothalamus, Anterior - physiology; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - physiology; Preoptic and anterior hypothalamus; Preoptic Area - metabolism; Preoptic Area - physiology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Thermoregulation. Hibernation. Estivation. Ecophysiology and environmental effects; Torpor; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(03)00239-8

Local warming or cooling of the preoptic and anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) areas evokes various thermoregulatory responses in mammals. We have hypothesized that warm- and cold-sensitive neurons recorded in the PO/AH are multiple thermostats that regulate the core temperature against heat and cold, respectively. However, since the proportion of cold-sensitive neurons is low, it is still controversial whether primary cold-sensitive neurons exist in the PO/AH. To answer this question, we investigated cold-sensitive neurons with Ca 2+ imaging in acutely dissociated PO/AH cells. Their threshold temperatures were 27.3±0.44 °C (mean±SEM, n=55). In extracellular recordings cooling evoked discharges in these cold-sensitive neurons. We conclude that primary cold-sensitive neurons with low threshold temperatures exist in PO/AH.