Figure 3.

Cs⁺ effects on astrocyte passive conductance. A, B, Two representative whole-cell recordings of astrocytes; one recorded with K⁺-based solutions (A) and another with Cs⁺-based recoding solutions (B). C, I–V plots of averaged Cs⁺-mediated (filled circles, n = 5) and K⁺-mediated (open circles, n = 5) conductances. When Cs⁺ was substituted for K⁺ in the recording pipette and bath solutions, the Cs⁺-conducted currents still showed a linear I–V relationship and negative reversal potential in the astrocyte recording (n = 5). D, E, Two representative NG2 glia whole-cell recordings, one recorded with K⁺-based (D) and the other with Cs⁺-based (E) solutions. Under both conditions, the NG2 glia could still be identified based on low-density expression of voltage-gated Na⁺ channels after capacitive and leak currents subtraction (insets in D and E) and positive immunostaining to NG2 antibody after recording (data not shown). Calibration: 100 ms, 1 nA. F, I–V plots of Cs⁺-mediated (filled circles, n = 6) and K⁺-mediated (open circles, n = 15) conductances of NG2 glia.