Local Impermeant Anions Establish the Neuronal Chloride Concentration

Abstract

Causing Chloride Changes Because intracellular chloride concentrations largely determine the direction and magnitude of current flow through GABA A channels, the stability of intracellular chloride concentration is important to maintain consistent synaptic inhibition. Glykys et al. (p. 670 ) examined the mechanisms by which chloride gradients in neurons are established, using chloride imaging with transgenically expressed clomeleon dye. Surprisingly, intracellular chloride was not primarily determined by transporters. Instead, subcellular gradients of immobile anions generated inverse chloride gradients.