Recovery of acetylcholine-induced currents after paired-pulse stimulation in snail neurons: Analysis using a mathematical model

Abstract

The experimental relationship between the paired-pulse ratio of acetylcholine-induced inward currents in the command neurons of Helix lucorum and the interval between application of a neurotransmitter was analyzed using the method of paired-pulse stimulation. A mathematical model that takes the membrane and intracellular localization of receptors, their lateral diffusion, and endocytosis and exocytosis depending on the intracellular processes into account was used to study this dependence. Our results have shown that membrane receptor endocytosis is the main process that determines the type of this relationship. The effects of exocytosis and lateral diffusion of membrane receptors on this relationship were studied. The parameters of an existing mathematical model were further clarified.