Pattern generation in the lobster (Panulirus) stomatogastric ganglion. I. Pyloric neuron kinetics and synaptic interactions.

There are a number of perspectives gained from a quantitative analysis of the pyloric system which may be applicable to other simple pattern generators: 1. The system is organized around a dominant, endogenously-bursting neuron group, and its properties are tailored to that dominance. In particular, synaptic strengths and firing frequencies of that group appear just sufficient to suppress postsynaptic "follower" cells if the latter are not too highly excited. 2. Repetitive firing properties of follower neurons are such as to facilitate their switch-like mode of activity. This includes pacemaker response nonlinearities, rebound properties, and "burstiness" properties. 3. Proper sequencing of follower cells may be controlled by particular synaptic strengths and time-courses, feedback on the oscillator cells, and functional cellular properties of follower neurons (e.g., rebound; see also next paper). All such properties interact and must be tuned to each other for proper patterns to result.