02577nas a2200301   4500008004100000022001400041245010600055210006900161260001200230300001200242490000800254520171500262653001201977653002601989653002102015653001102036653001502047653000902062653002502071653001202096653001402108653001602122100002402138700002102162700002102183700002302204856004802227       2014                        eng d  a1522-146600aLong-term recording of external urethral sphincter EMG activity in unanesthetized, unrestrained rats.0 aLongterm recording of external urethral sphincter EMG activity i  c08/2014  aF485-970 v3073 a<p>The external urethral sphincter muscle (EUS) plays an important role in urinary function and often contributes to urinary dysfunction. EUS study would benefit from methodology for longitudinal recording of electromyographic activity (EMG) in unanesthetized animals, but this muscle is a poor substrate for chronic intramuscular electrodes, and thus the required methodology has not been available. We describe a method for long-term recording of EUS EMG by implantation of fine wires adjacent to the EUS that are secured to the pubic bone. Wires pass subcutaneously to a skull-mounted plug and connect to the recording apparatus by a flexible cable attached to a commutator. A force transducer-mounted cup under a metabolic cage collected urine, allowing recording of EUS EMG and voided urine weight without anesthesia or restraint. Implant durability permitted EUS EMG recording during repeated (up to 3 times weekly) 24-h sessions for more than 8 wk. EMG and voiding properties were stable over weeks 2-8. The degree of EUS phasic activity (bursting) during voiding was highly variable, with an average of 25% of voids not exhibiting bursting. Electrode implantation adjacent to the EUS yielded stable EMG recordings over extended periods and eliminated the confounding effects of anesthesia, physical restraint, and the potential for dislodgment of the chronically implanted intramuscular electrodes. These results show that micturition in unanesthetized, unrestrained rats is usually, but not always, associated with EUS bursting. This methodology is applicable to studying EUS behavior during progression of gradually evolving disease and injury models and in response to therapeutic interventions.</p>10aAnimals10aElectrodes, Implanted10aElectromyography10aFemale10aPubic Bone10aRats10aRats, Sprague-Dawley10aUrethra10aUrination10aUrodynamics1 aLaPallo, Brandon, K1 aWolpaw, Jonathan1 aChen, Xiang Yang1 aCarp, Jonathan, S.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2499089502531nas a2200205   4500008004100000022001400041245009300055210006900148260001200217300001600229490000800245520189500253653001202148100002302160700002302183700002902206700002102235700002102256856004802277       2010                        eng d  a1522-159800aExternal urethral sphincter motoneuron properties in adult female rats studied in vitro.0 aExternal urethral sphincter motoneuron properties in adult femal  c09/2010  a1286–13000 v1043 aThe external urethral sphincter (EUS) muscle plays a crucial role in lower urinary tract function: its activation helps maintain continence, whereas its relaxation contributes to micturition. To determine how the intrinsic properties of its motoneurons contribute to its physiological function, we have obtained intracellular current-clamp recordings from 49 EUS motoneurons in acutely isolated spinal cord slices from adult female rats. In all, 45% of EUS motoneurons fired spontaneously and steadily (average rate = 12-27 pulses/s). EUS motoneurons were highly excitable, having lower rheobase, higher input resistance, and smaller threshold depolarization than those of rat hindlimb motoneurons recorded in vitro. Correlations between these properties and afterhyperpolarization half-decay time are consistent with EUS motoneurons having characteristics of both fast and slow motor unit types. EUS motoneurons with a slow-like spectrum of properties exhibited spontaneous firing more often than those with fast-like characteristics. During triangular current ramp-induced repetitive firing, recruitment typically occurred at lower current levels than those at derecruitment, although the opposite pattern occurred in 10% of EUS motoneurons. This percentage was likely underestimated due to firing rate adaptation. These findings are consistent with the presence of a basal level of persistent inward current (PIC) in at least some EUS motoneurons. The low EUS motoneuron current and voltage thresholds make them readily recruitable, rendering them well suited to their physiological role in continence. The expression of firing behaviors consistent with PIC activation in this highly reduced preparation raises the possibility that in the intact animal, PICs contribute to urinary function not only through neuromodulator-dependent but also through neuromodulator-independent mechanisms.10aUrethra1 aCarp, Jonathan, S.1 aTennissen, Ann, M.1 aLiebschutz, Jennifer, E.1 aChen, Xiang Yang1 aWolpaw, Jonathan  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20573976