Neural synchronization via potassium signaling

Using a relatively simple model we examine how variations of the extracellular potassium concentration can give rise to synchronization of two nearby pacemaker cells. With the volume of the extracellular space and the rate of potassium diffusion as control parameters, the dual nature of this resource-mediated coupling is found to be responsible for the coexistence of competing patterns of in- and anti-phase synchronization between identical cells. Cell heterogeneity produces significant modifications of the dynamical regimes in the control parameter plane. By comparison with conventional gap junctional coupling, potassium signaling gives rise to considerable changes of the cellular response to external stimuli.