Effect of Morphologic Features of Neurons on the Extracellular Electric Potential: A Simulation Study Using Cable Theory and Electro-Quasi-Static Equations
Effect of Morphologic Features of Neurons on the Extracellular Electric Potential: A Simulation Study Using Cable Theory and Electro-Quasi-Static Equations
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DOI：
10.1162/neco_a_01019
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发表时间：
2017-11-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Thielemann, C.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bestel, R.;Appali, R.;Thielemann, C.
微电极阵列是电生理研究中不可缺少的工具，可以研究神经细胞的电活动，既可以测量单个细胞，也可以分析网络通信。最近的实验研究报道，神经元的几何形状对电信号和细胞外记录有影响。然而，相应的机制尚未完全了解，需要进一步研究。通过系统的参数研究，计算模型提供了检查影响细胞外电位的潜在效应的机会。在这封信中，我们提出了一个硅单细胞模型来分析几何变异性对细胞外电位的影响。我们描述了三维空间中具有不同几何复杂度的单个神经元的有限元模型。神经元的电势产生采用霍奇金-赫胥黎方程建模。用拟静电方程描述了信号的传播，并与相应的电缆方程描述进行了比较。我们的结果表明，神经元的几何尺寸和离子通道的分布是影响细胞外电位振幅和形状的关键因素。
Microelectrode arrays serve as an indispensable tool in electro-physiological research to study the electrical activity of neural cells, enabling measurements of single cell as well as network communication analysis. Recent experimental studies have reported that the neuronal geometry has an influence on electrical signaling and extracellular recordings. However, the corresponding mechanisms are not yet fully understood and require further investigation. Allowing systematic parameter studies, computational modeling provides the opportunity to examine the underlying effects that influence extracellular potentials. In this letter, we present an in silico single cell model to analyze the effect of geometrical variability on the extracellular electric potentials. We describe finite element models of a single neuron with varying geometric complexity in three-dimensional space. The electric potential generation of the neuron is modeled using Hodgkin-Huxley equations. The signal propagation is described with electro-quasi-static equations, and results are compared with corresponding cable equation descriptions. Our results show that both the geometric dimensions and the distribution of ion channels of a neuron are critical factors that significantly influence both the amplitude and shape of extracellular potentials.