Figure 6. Major electrophysiological parameters for active and passive properties of MCs.

Example responses to different stimulation protocols used for electrophysiological characterization. AP Waveform, APs evoked by brief step current injections. AP Threshold, the threshold for AP discharge was measured during a ramp current injection. AP Drop, changes in AP amplitude during a discharge train evoked by a step current injection. IV, the current–voltage relationship was extracted by a series of subthreshold current injections. Delta, the response to a brief (1 ms) hyperpolarizing current was used to measure the membrane time constant. Sag, the response to a hyperpolarizing current step was analysed to reveal the existence of hyperpolarization-dependent inward currents. s-AHP, the existence and degree of slow membrane hyperpolarization following rapid discharge. ID Rest, discharge response to increasing current injections was used for assessing the current-discharge properties of MCs. ID Threshold, discharge response to near-threshold current injections, used for neuronal classification by revealing the existence of onset delays or bursts.