Thermal Acclimation of a Central Neurone of Helix Aspersa: II. Electrophysiological Recordings
1. The effects of thermal acclimation on the activity of a central autoactive neurone and its temperature dependence were investigated in Helix aspersa. 2. Resting membrane potential was changed by acclimation temperature, but not with a simple relationship: cells from both 30°C-acclimated and 4°C-acclimated groups were more depolarized at 20°C than were control cells (acclimated to 19°C). 3. The input resistance of the neurone decreased as the temperature of acclimation was raised. 4. Rates of change of potential during an action potential decreased with increasing acclimation temperature. Raising the temperature of measurement on the other hand increased dV/dt at a given acclimation temperature. Spike amplitude was little affected. 5. The frequency of spontaneous spike discharge at a given temperature declined with increasing temperature of acclimation but increased with step changes of temperature in a manner suggestive of a compensatory process. 6. All the measured electrical parameters showed a pronounced hysteresis during rewarming after cold block. 7. Upper lethal and cold block temperatures were both significantly raised by acclimation to higher temperatures. Block temperature was much reduced in cold-acclimated individuals, but the upper lethal temperature was less affected. 8. By sampling during the acclimation period of 4 weeks, the above changes were shown to occur progressively. During the initial stages (5–12 days) they could be partially reversed by incubating isolated ganglia at various temperatures for 30-45 min: but after 2 weeks or more the changes could not be reversed by incubations of up to 5 h.