Localising receptors and channels across the dendritic arbour

Abstract

In central neurons, the strength and the number of excitatory and inhibitory synapses to a large extent determine the transfer of information from one neuron to another. The presence of multiple active conductances distributed throughout the highly arborised dendritic tree endows dendrites with the capacity to filter and modulate the evoked synaptic potentials and allows adequate representation of distal synaptic inputs in the soma for further integration and processing. Furthermore, active properties of the dendritic membrane enable dynamic modulation of neuronal excitability and thereby influence the firing output. In this chapter, we will review the distribution of dominant voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels and receptors in dendrites and their contribution to several aspects of dendritic computation.