scholarly journals Permeation of both cations and anions through a single class of ATP-activated ion channels in developing chick skeletal muscle.

1990 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 569-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
S A Thomas ◽  
R I Hume

Micromolar concentrations of extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) elicit a rapid excitatory response in developing chick skeletal muscle. Excitation is the result of a simultaneous increase in membrane permeability to sodium, potassium, and chloride ions. In the present study we quantify the selectivity of the ATP response, and provide evidence that a single class of ATP-activated ion channels conducts both cations and anions. Experiments were performed on myoballs using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We estimated permeability ratios by measuring the shift in reversal potential when one ion was substituted for another. We found that monovalent cations, divalent cations, and monovalent anions all permeate the membrane during the ATP response, and that there was only moderate selectivity between many of these ions. Calcium was the most permeant ion tested. To determine if ATP activates a single class of channels that conducts both cations and anions, or if ATP activates separate classes of cation and anion channels, we analyzed the fluctuations about the mean current induced by ATP. Ionic conditions were arranged so that the reversal potential for cations was +50 mV and the reversal potential for anions was -50 mV. Under these conditions, if ATP activates a single class of channels, ATP should not evoke an increase in noise at the reversal potential of the ATP current. However, if ATP activates separate classes of cation and anion channels, ATP should evoke a significant increase in noise at the reversal potential of the ATP current. At both +40 and -50 mV ATP elicited a clear increase in noise, but at the reversal potential of the ATP current (-5 mV), no increase in noise above background was seen. These results indicate that there is only a single class of excitatory ATP-activated channels, which do not select by charge. Based on analysis of the noise spectrum, the conductance of individual channels is estimated to be 0.2-0.4 pS.

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K. Roberts

ABSTRACT In contrast to animal and plant cells, very little is known of ion channel function in fungal physiology. The life cycle of most fungi depends on the “filamentous” polarized growth of hyphal cells; however, no ion channels have been cloned from filamentous fungi and comparatively few preliminary recordings of ion channel activity have been made. In an attempt to gain an insight into the role of ion channels in fungal hyphal physiology, a homolog of the yeast K+ channel (ScTOK1) was cloned from the filamentous fungus, Neurospora crassa. The patch clamp technique was used to investigate the biophysical properties of the N. crassa K+ channel (NcTOKA) after heterologous expression of NcTOKA in yeast. NcTOKA mediated mainly time-dependent outward whole-cell currents, and the reversal potential of these currents indicated that it conducted K+ efflux. NcTOKA channel gating was sensitive to extracellular K+ such that channel activation was dependent on the reversal potential for K+. However, expression of NcTOKA was able to overcome the K+ auxotrophy of a yeast mutant missing the K+ uptake transporters TRK1 and TRK2, suggesting that NcTOKA also mediated K+ influx. Consistent with this, close inspection of NcTOKA-mediated currents revealed small inward K+ currents at potentials negative of EK. NcTOKA single-channel activity was characterized by rapid flickering between the open and closed states with a unitary conductance of 16 pS. NcTOKA was effectively blocked by extracellular Ca2+, verapamil, quinine, and TEA+ but was insensitive to Cs+, 4-aminopyridine, and glibenclamide. The physiological significance of NcTOKA is discussed in the context of its biophysical properties.


1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Cerana ◽  
L Giromini ◽  
R Colombo

Anion channels in isolated vacuoles of Arabidopsis thaliana cultured cells were studied by means of the patch clamp technique in the whole-vacuole configuration. In symmetrical 100 mM KCl, a high resistance of the membrane at positive potentials inside the vacuole was observed. In symmetrical 100 mM K2-malate positive potentials inside the vacuole elicited slowly developing inward currents, due to the opening of channels, which, according to measurements of reversal potential, are selective for malate. The activation potential of the channels shifted as a function of the cytoplasmic malate concentration, but it was always such that the channels opened only to mediate malate influx into the vacuole. The channels were also permeable to succinate, fumarate and, to a lesser extent, oxaloacetate. In vacuoles preincubated with cytoplas- mic malate, inward currents were also elicited in the presence of KCl or KNO3 at the cytoplasmic side of the tonoplast. Malate channels were different from the cation slow vacuolar-type channels with regard to their sensitivity to changes in the cytoplasmic concentrations of Ca2+ and ATP, and in temperature between 10 and 20�C.


2021 ◽  
Vol 129 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Balderas-Angeles ◽  
Thirupura Shankar ◽  
Anthony Balynas ◽  
Xue Yin ◽  
Dipayan Chaudhuri

Inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) ion channels and transporters account for communication of the matrix with the intermembrane space (IMS) and the cytosol. Transport of solutes and ions is keep under strict regulation mainly because small changes in solute concentrations could generate changes in mitochondrial volume or membrane potential (ΔΨ m ), interrupting ATP synthesis and leading to mitochondrial damage. The list of recently discovered mitochondrial ion channels has been growing in the past decades. In this work, using the patch-clamp technique we observed the activity of a novel mitochondrial current, named here LUNA current, in mitoplasts (IMM striped of outer membrane) from mouse liver, spleen, brain and heart, as well as established cell lines. LUNA is a novel non-selective cation current (K + >Na + >NMDG + >H + ) active at depolarized membrane potentials. The basal activity of whole-mitoplast LUNA currents from wild type mice hearts changed from 445±106 pA/pF to 1232±287 pA/pF upon chelation of external divalent cations (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ). Moreover, the activity of LUNA is independent of the mitochondrial Ca 2+ uniporter and of the non-selective reactive oxygen species modulator channel (ROMO1). In the heart, the activity of LUNA was enhanced in both the Tfam -KO mice, which have impaired electron transport chain (ETC) activity and are a model for mitochondrial cardiomyopathies, and mice with cardiac pressure overload due to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) compared to sham-operated hearts (729±197; n=7 vs 283±137 pA/pF). LUNA current is reversibly inhibited by amiloride with no sensitivity to the vast majority of common K + , Na + and Ca 2+ channels and ETC inhibitors. The molecular identity of mitochondrial LUNA current remains to be determined.


1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
W B Ferguson

The patch-clamp technique was used to investigate the effect of intracellular Mg2+ (Mgi2+) on the conductance of the large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in cultured rat skeletal muscle. Measurements of single-channel current amplitudes indicated that Mgi2+ decreased the K+ currents in a concentration-dependent manner. Increasing Mgi2+ from 0 to 5, 10, 20, and 50 mM decreased channel currents by 34%, 44%, 56%, and 73%, respectively, at +50 mV. The magnitude of the Mgi2+ block increased with depolarization. For membrane potentials of -50, +50, and +90 mV, 20 mM Mgi2+ reduced the currents 22%, 56%, and 70%, respectively. Mgi2+ did not change the reversal potential, indicating that Mg2+ does not permeate the channel. The magnitude of the Mgi2+ block decreased as the concentration of K+ was increased. At a membrane potential of +50 mv, 20 mM Mgi2+ reduced the currents 71%, 56%, and 25% for Ki+ of 75, 150, and 500 mM. These effects of Mgi2+, voltage, and K+ were totally reversible. Although the Woodhull blocking model could approximate the voltage and concentration effects of the Mgi2+ block (Kd approximately 30 mM with 150 mM symmetrical K+; electrical distance approximately 0.22 from the inner surface), the Woodhull model could not account for the effects of K+. Double reciprocal plots of 1/single channel current vs. 1/[K+] in the presence and absence of Mgi2+, indicated that the Mgi2+ block is consistent with apparent competitive inhibition between Mgi2+ and Ki+. Cai2+, Nii2+, and Sri2+ were found to have concentration- and voltage-dependent blocking effects similar, but not identical, to those of Mgi2+. These observations suggest the blocking by Mgi2+ of the large-conductance, Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel is mainly nonspecific, competitive with K+, and at least partially electrostatic in nature.


1989 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
G D Hals ◽  
P G Stein ◽  
P T Palade

Previously undescribed high conductance single anion channels from frog skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were studied in native membrane using the "sarcoball" technique (Stein and Palade, 1988). Excised inside-out patches recorded in symmetrical 200 mM TrisCl show the conductance of the channel's predominant state was 505 +/- 25 pS (n = 35). From reversal potentials, the Pcl/PK ratio was 45. The slope conductance vs. Cl- ion concentration curve saturates at 617 pS, with K0.5 estimated at 77 mM. The steady-state open probability (Po) vs. holding potential relationship produces a bell-shaped curve, with Po values reaching a maximum near 1.0 at 0 mV, and falling off to 0.05 at +/- 25 mV. Kinetic analysis of the voltage dependence reveals that while open time constants are decreased somewhat by increases in potential, the largest effect is an increase in long closed times. Despite the channel's high conductance, it maintains a moderate selectivity for smaller anions, but will not pass larger anions such as gluconate, as determined by reversal-potential shifts. At least two substates different from the main open level are distinguishable. These properties are unlike those described for mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channels or skeletal muscle surface membrane Cl channels and since SR Ca channels are present in equally high density in sarcoball patches, we propose these sarcoball anion channels originate from the SR. Preliminary experiments recording currents from frog SR anion channels fused into liposomes indicate that either biochemical isolation and/or alterations in lipid environment greatly decrease the channel's voltage sensitivity. These results help underline the potential significance of using sarcoballs to study SR channels. The steep voltage sensitivity of the sarcoball anion channel suggests that it could be more actively involved in the regulation of Ca2+ transport by the SR.


1986 ◽  
Vol 228 (1252) ◽  
pp. 267-288 ◽  

Large voltage-dependent outward currents are recorded with the wholecell patch-clamp technique from rat cultured astrocytes under conditions where an outward movement of potassium ions is excluded (either by blockage of the potassium channels pharmacologically or by replacement of the internal potassium by the impermeant large organic cation N -methyl-( + )-glucamine). The current, which is activated at potentials more positive than —40 to —50 mV, is normally carried by an inward movement of chloride ions. Its reversal potential is the same as the chloride equilibrium potential. With depolarization to +60 mV (for 225 ms) little or no inactivation of the current occurs: with depolarizations to +90 to +110 mV a time-dependent decay is seen. The current, which is often not marked immediately after formation of the whole-cell clamp, generally increases over a period of a few minutes to a maximum (after which it usually declines), as if some as yet unknown intracellular factor keeping the channels closed were being washed away from the membrane. The time course of this phenomenon is not affected by changing of the internal free calcium concentration (from 10 -8 to 10 -6 m) or by an intracellular mixture of cyclic AMP (1 mm), ATP (4 mm) and Mg + (2 mm). The conductance is slightly increased when the chloride of the bathing medium is replaced by bromide; is much reduced on replacement by methylsulphate, sulphate, isethionate, or acetate; and is virtually abolished on replacement by the large anion gluconate. The outward current is inhibited by the disulphonate stilbenes DIDS and SITS; this blocking action was initially partly reversible, although never completely so. It is suggested that the chloride conductance plays a role in the spatial buffering of potassium by astrocytes.


1990 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Yamashita ◽  
S Ciani ◽  
S Hagiwara

The whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was used to study the outward Na+ current through Ca channels in hybridoma cell lines (202B and 206), constructed by fusion of S194 myeloma cells with murine splenic B lymphocytes. The concentration of Na+ in the electrode solution, [Na+]p, was changed by isosmotic replacement of Na+ with N-methyl-D-glucamine+ ions. When 2.5 mM calcium was present in the bath, neither the current nor the reversal potential was significantly altered by changes in the level of external Na+ [( Na+]o. By contrast, both of those properties were strongly affected by [Na+]p. At fixed depolarizing potentials, the outward current increased approximately as the square power of [Na+]p, a feature that cannot be easily explained by one-ion models for a channel or by "continuum" theories based on electrodiffusion. Instead, all the data could be well described by a "single-file" model for a two-site pore that admits up to two ions. Although double occupancy of the Ca channel by divalent cations has been proposed previously (Hess and Tsien. 1984. Nature. 309: 453-456; Almers et al., 1984. J. Physiol. 353: 585-608), this study indicates that, in our system, states of the channel with two Na+ ions must also be considered in order to explain the dependence of the outward current on [Na+]p. A good fit to the data could be obtained by assuming that both sites in the channel are "electrically" close to its cytoplasmic end and that most of the voltage dependence pertains to the rates for ion exit to the external medium. The values of the parameters suggest that: (a) Ca2+ is bound most strongly by the site nearest to the cytoplasm (in both singly and doubly occupied channels); (b) in channels with two Ca2+ ions, the dissociation constant of the site close to the external mouth must be greater than 2.5 mM; and (c) in pores occupied by two Na+ ions, the rate constant for Na+ exit to the external solution is larger than the rate constant for Na+ exit to the cytoplasm.


Author(s):  
Leonardo Hernández

The influence of Ca2+ and other divalent cations on contractile responses of slow skeletal muscle fibers of the frog (Rana pipiens) under conditions of chronic denervation was investigated.Isometric tension was recorded from slow bundles of normal and denervated cruralis muscle in normal solution and in solutions with free calcium concentration solution or in solutions where other divalent cations (Sr2+, Ni2+, Co2+ or Mn2+) substituted for calcium. In the second week after nerve section, in Ca2+-free solutions, we observed that contractures (evoked from 40 to 80 mM-K+) of non-denervated muscles showed significantly higher tensions (p<0.05), than those from denervated bundles. Likewise, in solutions where calcium was substituted by all divalent cations tested, with exception of Mn2+, the denervated bundles displayed lower tension than non-denervated, also in the second week of denervation. In this case, the Ca2+ substitution by Sr2+ caused the higher decrease in tension, followed by Co2+ and Ni2+, which were different to non-denervated bundles, as the lowest tension was developed by Mn2+, followed by Co2+, and then Ni2+ and Sr2+. After the third week, we observed a recovery in tension. These results suggest that denervation altering the binding capacity to divalent cations of the voltage sensor.


1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (2) ◽  
pp. C389-C401 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Chepilko ◽  
H. Zhou ◽  
H. Sackin ◽  
L. G. Palmer

The renal K+ channel (ROMK2) was expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the patch-clamp technique was used to assess its conducting and gating properties. In cell-attached patches with 110 mM K+ in the bath and pipette, the reversal potential was near zero and the inward conductance (36 pS) was larger than the outward conductance (17 pS). In excised inside-out patches the channels showed rectification in the presence of 5 mM Mg2+ on the cytoplasmic side but not in Mg(2+)-free solution. Inward currents were also observed when K+ was replaced in the pipette by Rb+, NH4+, or thallium (Tl+). The reversal potentials under these conditions yielded a selectivity sequence of Tl+ > K+ > Rb+ > NH4+. On the other hand, the slope conductances for inward current gave a selectivity sequence of K+ = NH4+ > Tl+ > Rb+. The differences in the two sequences can be explained by the presence of cation binding sites within the channel, which interact with Rb+ and Tl+ more strongly and with NH4+ less strongly than with K+. Two other ions, Ba2+ and Cs+, blocked the channel from the outside. The effect of Ba2+ (1 mM) was to reduce the open probability of the channels, whereas Cs+ (10 mM) reduced the apparent single-channel current. The effects of both blockers are enhanced by membrane hyperpolarization. The kinetics of the channel were also studied in cell-attached patches. With K+ in the pipette the distribution of open times could be described by a single exponential (tau 0 = 25 ms), whereas two exponentials (tau 1 = 1 ms, tau 2 = 30 ms) were required to describe the closed-time distribution. Hyperpolarization of the oocyte membrane decreased the open probability and tau 0, and increased tau 1, tau 2, and the number of long closures. The presence of Tl+ in the pipette significantly altered the kinetics, reducing tau 0 and eliminating the long-lived closures. These results suggest that the gating of the channel may depend on the nature of the ion in the pore.


1994 ◽  
Vol 191 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-193
Author(s):  
C Jackel ◽  
W Krenz ◽  
F Nagy

Neurones were dissociated from thoracic ganglia of embryonic and adult lobsters and kept in primary culture. When gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was applied by pressure ejection, depolarizing or hyperpolarizing responses were produced, depending on the membrane potential. They were accompanied by an increase in membrane conductance. When they were present, action potential firing was inhibited. The pharmacological profile and ionic mechanism of GABA-evoked current were investigated under voltage-clamp with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The reversal potential of GABA-evoked current depended on the intracellular and extracellular Cl- concentration but not on extracellular Na+ and K+. Blockade of Ca2+ channels by Mn2+ was also without effect. The GABA-evoked current was mimicked by application of the GABAA agonists muscimol and isoguvacine with an order of potency muscimol&gt;GABA&gt;isoguvacine. cis-4-aminocrotonic acid (CACA), a folded and conformationally restricted GABA analogue, supposed to be diagnostic for the vertebrate GABAC receptor, also induced a bicuculline-resistant chloride current, although with a potency about 10 times lower than that of GABA. The GABA-evoked current was largely blocked by picrotoxin, but was insensitive to the GABAA antagonists bicuculline, bicuculline methiodide and SR 95531 at concentrations of up to 100 &micro;mol l-1. Diazepam and phenobarbital did not exert modulatory effects. The GABAB antagonist phaclophen did not affect the GABA-induced current, while the GABAB agonists baclophen and 3-aminopropylphosphonic acid (3-APA) never evoked any response. Our results suggest that lobster thoracic neurones in culture express a chloride-conducting GABA-receptor channel which conforms to neither the GABAA nor the GABAB types of vertebrates but shows a pharmacology close to that of the novel GABAC receptor described in the vertebrate retina.


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