Line Plot from Scientific Research

Membrane polarization in elongated, round, and triangular neurons exposed to 2-μs, 140 V/cm rectangular pulses. Two pairs of images show the same neuron exposed to the electric field from two orthogonal directions (arrows). Left images in each pair show depolarization (red) and hyperpolarization (blue) of the optical transmembrane potential (TMP) by the end of the 2-μs pulse. In the right images, de- and hyperpolarized regions overlay the entire cell image (green). Scale bar: 20 μm. Graphs underneath (middle row) show the time course of the optical TMP (ΔF, percentage of the value before the pulse) in the de- and hyperpolarized regions during the 2-μs pulse (between vertical dotted lines) and after it. Measurements were taken at 50-ns intervals, averaged across eight trials, and plotted as the mean values ± SEM (small light gray symbols with vertical error bars). They were fitted with exponential functions (solid red and blue lines for the cathode- and anode-facing poles, respectively), with legends showing the respective charging and relaxation time constants (±SEM).

DOI