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Fig. 1. Model systems for analysis of the involvement of neuronal ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channels in brain hypoxia–anoxia. Coronal brain slices from rodents are used to study the electrophysiological response to oxygen depletion in three types of central neurons. Anoxia-vulnerable cerebellar Purkinje neurons from 16–20-day-old mice with a characteristic flat dendritic tree show pronounced rises of intracellular Ca²⁺ (Ca_i) during rhythmic or tonic activity of membrane potential (V_m). Ca_i is monitored in superficial cells filled via the recording patch-electrode with 50–200 µmol l^–1 of the Ca²⁺-sensitive dye fura-2. The same techniques are applied to tonically active dorsal vagal neurons in medullary slices from juvenile rats or mice. These neurons innervate organs of the gastrointestinal tract, such as pancreatic ß-cells, in which K_ATP channel properties and functions are being thoroughly explored. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording is done in neurons of the ventral respiratory group (VRG) including the rhythmogenic pre-Bötzinger complex (PBC) or inspiratory active hypoglossal motoneurons (XII-MN) in coronal medullary slices or brainstem–spinal cord preparations from neonatal rodents. The cells can be labelled with dyes such as lucifer-yellow or biocytin for subsequent (immuno)histochemical analysis of their structure and neurotransmitter receptors. Rhythmic inspiratory activity is recorded with glass suction electrodes from hypoglossal (XII) nerve rootlets in the slices or from cervical nerve rootlets in an en bloc preparation. Reconstructed respiratory neuron data from K. Ballanyi and S. Schwarzacher. Brain section taken from Paxinos (1982).

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