Electrophysiological evidence for multiple glycinergic inputs to neonatal rat sympathetic preganglionic neurons in vitro

The time pattern of glycinergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) in sympathetic preganglionic neurons was studied in thin transverse spinal cord slices of neonatal (1-10 days postnatal) rats by means of the patch-clamp technique. Three time patterns could be distinguished: (i) large events [mostly > 400 pA (30-36 degrees C)] occurring at regular intervals, (ii) small events occurring at irregular intervals, and (iii) small events occurring in transient (1.5-10 s), high-frequency (> 15 Hz) bursts of synaptic activity. The large regular events had uniform kinetics which was consistent with the idea of a proximal site of origin for all of these events. They were reversibly inhibited in amplitude and frequency by extracellular application of a high concentration of acetylcholine (200 mu M) or the specific nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist dimethylphenylpiperazinium iodide (DMPP; 1 mM), but unaffected by glutamate (100 mu M). IPSCs occurring in bursts had slower and less uniform kinetics, suggesting a more diverse site of origin, The frequency of events decreased during a burst. Similar bursts could be induced by extracellular application of glutamate receptor agonists. These results indicate that sympathetic preganglionic neurons in a thin, transverse spinal cord slice receive at least two different glycinergic inputs.