• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.355-366
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• 1997

Although cerebellar Purkinje cells display spontaneous electrical activity in vivo and in slice experiments, the mechanism of the spontaneous activity generation has not been clearly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether cerebellar Purkinje cells of postnatal rats generate spontaneous electrical activity without synaptic inputs. Dissociated cerebellar Purkinje cells were used for reducing synaptic inputs in the present study. Cerebellar Purkinje cells with dendrites were dissociated from postnatal rats using enzymatic treatment followed by mechanical trituration. Spontaneous electrical activities were recorded from dissociated cells without any stimulus using whole-cell patch clamp configuration. Two types, spontaneously firing or quiescent, of dissociated Purkinje cells were observed in postnatal rats. Both types of cells were identified as Purkinje cells using immunocytochemical staining technique with anti-calbindin after recording. Spontaneously active cells displayed two patterns of firing, repetitive and burst firings. Two thirds of dissociated Purkinje cells displayed repetitive firing and the rest of them did burst firing under same recording condition. Repetitive firing activities were maintained even after further isolation using either physical or pharmacological techniques. Neither high magnessium solution nor excitatory synaptic blockers, AP-5 and DNQX, block the spontaneous activity. These results demonstrate that spontaneous electrical activity of isolated cerebellar Purkinje cells in postnatal rats is generated by intrinsic membrane properties rather than synaptic inputs.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.255-257
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• 1993

We investigated the effects of single administration of Korean earthworm(Lamnodrilus gotai Hatai) juice (KEJ) on blood pressure and spontaneous motor activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. We report that KEJ lowered blood pressure and spontaneous motor activity in SHR.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.13-22
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• 1979

Panax Ginseng C. A. Meyer which has been known for more than 2000 years, occupies a particular place in folk medicine as so called tonic remedy. The brief pharmacological action of Ginseng complied from the numerous reports can be summarized as adaptogenic effect to be increased nonspecific resistance. Among the various components of Ginseng, the effective components has been known Ginseng butanol fraction as so called Ginseng saponin. In order to study on the effect of the Ginseng butanol fraction which influences spontaneous activity by CNS drugs in mice. Experiment of response was measured the change of spontaneous activity by CNS drugs in which mice were treated Ginseng butanol fraction. A method of measuring spontaneous activity in mice used by counting the number of times which were interrupted a beam of light. Results of experiment can be summarized as follows: 1. In case of administrating Ginseng butanol fraction for 1 day, stimulating effect of Ginseng was observed in spontaneous activity by caffeine in comparison with the control. at the first, but after 45 minutes no significant change was observed. 2. In case of administrating Ginseng butanol, fraction for 5days, decreasing tendency was observed in spontaneous activity by caffeine. 3. In case of administrating Ginseng butanol fraction for 10days, marked decrease was observed in spontaneous activity by caffeine in comparison with the control. From the experiment on the increased dose of caffeine, nonsignificant change was observed in comparison with caffeine and sodium benzoate 25mg/kg group. 4. A state of increased resistance was lasted until 5 days, and after 10 days it was disappeared. 5. Otherwise, nonsignificant change was observed for chlorpromazin HCl in comparison with the control. 6. From this result, 10 days administrating of ginseng butanol fraction appeared to have increased resistance in mice against caffeine.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.11-15
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• 1981

Antler, deer horn, occupies a particular place in oriental folk medicine as so called tonic remedy. In order to study on the effects of Antler water extract on stress resistance in mice, quantitative response was measured for the change of spontaneous activity by chemical stress drugs in the control group or the Antler water extract pretreated group. Spontaneous activity in mice was measured by counting the number of interruptions of light. The results of experiment were summerized as follows; I) In case of administrating Antler water extract 10mg/kg, 20mg/kg, 50mg/kg, and 100mg/kg, no significant change was observed in spontaneous activity in comparison with the control group. II) In case of administrating Antler water extract for 5 days or 10 days, no significant change was observed in spontaneous activity by chemical stress drugs, caffein and chloropromazine, in comparison with the control group.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 1997

Although one of the major physiological functions of taurine(2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is the inhibitory action on the central nervous system(CNS), the mechanism of taurine in controlling the neuronal excitation in the CNS has been in controversy. Electrically evoked pEPSP and spontaneous activity induced by the perfusion of low $Mg^{++}-ACSF$ were recorded in the CA1 pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampal slice. To test the inhibitory effect of taurine on spontaneous responses, taurine was treated for 2 min at various concentrations(1 mM-10 mM). Taurine reduced the spontaneous activity by 22.2% at 1 mM, and 100% at 2 mM in low $Mg^{++}-ACSF$. Evoked response was induced by electrical stimulation of Schaffer collateral-commissural fibers. Taurine reduced the evoked response by 11.68% at 3 mM, and 24.25% at 5 mM. Even 20 mM of taurine reduced the evoked response only by 24 % after 5 min treatment. That is, the inhibitory efficacy was much higher in spontaneous activity than in evoked response. The $GABA_A$ receptor antagonist, 100 uM bicuculline, blocked the inhibitory action of taurine, while $GABA_B$ receptor antagonist, 700 uM phaclofen, did not. Taurine blocked the spontaneous activity in the presence of CNQX, and did not block the electrically evoked responce in the presence of APV. The results suggest that taurine causes hyperpolarization in the cell by binding to $GABA_A$ receptor and preferentially attenuates NMDA receptor-mediated hyperexcitation, leaving synaptic transmission unmodified.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1985

The influences of $Ca^{2+}-antagonists$, verapamil and $Mn^{2+}$, upon the spontaneous electrical activity and contractions were studied in guinea-pig taenia coli. Spontaneous contractions were recorded with force transducer, and spike action potentials were measured extracellularly by use of suction electrode. All experiments were performed in tris-buffered Tyrode solution Which was aerated With 100% $O_2$ and kept at $35^{\circ}C$. The results obtained were as follows : 1) Verapamil suppressed the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous contractions dose dependently, and blocked completely mechanical responses at the concentration of 1 mg/1. 2) The frequency of bursts of spike discharge(bursts frequency) and the number of spikes in a burst(spikes frequency) were reduced in a dose·dependent manner within the concentration range of $10^{-5}$ to $10^{-3}g/l$, and bursts frequency was affected more readily at a low concentration of $10^{-5}g/l$ verapamil. 3) The verapamil_induced suppression of spontaneous contractions in the Tyrode solution containing 1 mM $Ca^{2+}$ was completely antagonized by the addition of extra $Ca^{2+}$ to the Tyrode solution $(2\;m\;MCa^{2+})$. 4) $Mn^{2+}$ suppressed the amplitude of spontaneous contractions, whereas $Mn^{2+}$ accelerated the frequency dose-dependently within the range of low concentrations$(10^{-7}\;to\;10^{-4}\;M\;Mn^{2+})$. 5) The bursts frequency determining frequency of spontaneous contractions was increased in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the spikes frequency known to determine the contractions amplitude was reduced within the range of low concentrations. At a high concentration of 1 mM $Mn^{2+}$, however, all spontaneous contractile responses were blocked simultaneously with the disapperance of electrical activity. 6) The frequency and amplitude of spontaneous contractions altered by $Mn^{2+}$ in 1mM $Ca^{2+}$ Tyrode were increased by extra $Ca^{2+}(2mM)$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2011

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) evoke pacemaker activities in many tissues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between interstitial cell and pacemaker activity in the human ureter through the recording of spontaneous contractions. Spontaneous contractions of eight circular and longitudinal smooth muscle strips of the human ureter to acetylcholine (ACh) and/or norepinephrine (NE) were observed. Human ureteral strips were divided into proximal and distal groups, and each group was subdivided into circular and longitudinal groups. The proximal group showed spontaneous activities of 3~4 times within 5 minutes in the longitudinal group. ACh ($10^{-4}\;M$) augmented the frequency of the spontaneous contractions. The cumulative application of NE also augmented the frequency in a dose-dependent manner. The effects of NE application were inhibited by concomitant application of $10^{-5}\;M$ glibenclamide. Receptor tyrosine kinase (c-kit) staining revealed abundant ICCs only in proximal tissues. Therefore, spontaneous contractions of the human ureter might be modulated by ICC in the proximal region, and the actions might be related with the activation of cholinergic and/or adrenergic system mediated by a glibenclamide-sensitive pathway.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 2002

Spontaneous blinking as a function of visual activity and environmental condition with 60 healthy Korean young people(M=30, F=30) was estimated. Spontaneous blink rate of male and female was $19.2{\pm}2.0/min$ and $18.7{\pm}2.0/min$, respectively. There was no significant difference of blink rate in both contact lens wearer and non-wearer of female and also by various visual activity between female and male. Spontaneous blink rate was changed in response to changes in levels of visual activity and environmental condition such as windiness, rut not changed by light. In the more intense fixation spontaneous blink rate was lesser, but in the stronger windiness, the rate was higher than that in normal.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1997.04a
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• pp.108-108
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• 1997

The effects of nalbuphine.HCI on the spontaneous locomotor activity and primary humoral immune response were investigated in ICR mice. Nalbuphine was intraperitoneally administered with the dose of 130, 260, 360 mg/kg in mice. The locomotor activity such as distance traveled was observed for 90min at 10min intervals. Nalbuphine showed the biphasic dose-response relationship on the spontaneous locomotor activity. IgM plaque forming cells(PFC) in splenocytes and IgM level in antiserum were significantly decreased depending on the dose of nalbuphine when nalbuphine was administered after the immunization, but slightly increased only at the low dose in the case of nabuphine administration after the immunization(SRBC).

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.119-128
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• 1982

The frog truncus arterious were studied with conventional glass microelectrode technique in order to elucidate the underlying mechanism of spontaneous pacemaker activity. The analyses were focussed on the ionic nature of pacemaker current by changing the concentrations of extracellular $K^+$ and, $Na^+$, or by using blockers of K- and Ca-current and chronotropic transmitters. 1) The action potential of the spontaneously active truncus arteriosus has some characteristic feature of maximal distolic potential ranged from -65 to -75 mV, resting potential from -45 to -50 mV and overshoot voltage about +30 mV, respectively. Duration of the action potential taken from rapid upstroke to maximal diastolic potential was about 600 msec. Usual discharge rate was $25{\sim}30/min$ at room temperature $(18{\sim}20^{\circ}C)$. 2) The sensitivity of the resting membrane potential to change extracellular potassium concentrations $(0{\sim}12\;mM)$ was relatively low. Transient hyperpolarization was appeared in the 12 mM K Ringer after 10 min exposure to 0 mM K and it could be related to Na-pump reactivation by high potassium. 3) Reduction of extracellular sodium concetrations diminished the amplitude and frequency of the action potential. In Ringer solution containing 30% Na (substituted by equimolar Tris), spontaneous activity stopped but reappeared as very slow and small action potential. There was no spotaneous activity in zero Na Ringer solution. 4) Caesium(10 mM), K-current blocker decreased the frequency of the action potential and also pacemaker depolarization. Manganese (2 mM) known to be Ca-current antagonist, blocked spontaneous activity completely. 5) Adrenaline and acetylcholine had no chronotropic effect. But adrenaline increased the duration of plateau phase and the magnitude of the action potential in the follower cell. It is concluded that K-, Na-and Ca-current components are involved in the genesis of spontaneous activity of the frog truncus arteriosus like cardiac pacemaker tissues. But the insensitivity of truncus arteriosus to adrenaline and acetylcholine indicates that there are some different control mechanisms of spontaneous rhythm in two tissues.