scholarly journals Membrane potential of smooth muscle cells in K-free solution

1971 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 281-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Casteels ◽  
G. Droogmans ◽  
H. Hendrickx
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily D. Evans ◽  
Allen W. Mangel

The membrane of most gastrointestinal smooth muscles shows slow waves, slow rhythmic changes in membrane potential. Slow waves serve to bring the membrane potential of smooth muscle cells to a threshold level that elicits a second electrical event known as the spike or action potential. The inward current of the spike, in most gastrointestinal smooth muscle preparations, is carried, at least in part, by calcium. Indeed, considering the narrow diameter of smooth muscle cells, some have hypothesized that the influx of calcium during the spike is sufficient for activation of the contractile machinery. Findings consistent with this include marked reduction in contractility during exposure of muscle segments to blockers of L-type calcium channels or following reductions in external calcium levels. However, it has also been observed that following exposure of muscle segments to external bathing solutions containing no added calcium plus 5 mM EGTA to remove any remaining extracellular calcium, contractions can be triggered following membrane depolarization. It is noteworthy that in isolated smooth muscle cells or in small muscle segments, during incubation in calcium-free solution, depolarization does not induce contractions. The present paper discusses the evidence in support of depolarization-mediated contractions occurring in gastrointestinal smooth muscle segments during incubation in solutions devoid of calcium.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (9) ◽  
pp. 9785-9796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuro Numaga‐Tomita ◽  
Tsukasa Shimauchi ◽  
Sayaka Oda ◽  
Tomohiro Tanaka ◽  
Kazuhiro Nishiyama ◽  
...  

1988 ◽  
Vol 254 (3) ◽  
pp. C423-C431 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Yamaguchi ◽  
T. W. Honeyman ◽  
F. S. Fay

Studies were carried out to determine the effects of the beta-adrenergic agent, isoproterenol (ISO), on membrane electrical properties in single smooth muscle cells enzymatically dispersed from toad stomach. In cells bathed in buffer of physiological composition, the average resting potential was -56.4 +/- 1.4 mV (mean +/- SE, n = 35). The dominant effect of exposure to ISO was hyperpolarization. The hyperpolarization was apparent in all cells studied and averaged 11.6 +/- 1.2 mV (n = 27). In the majority of the cells, hyperpolarization was accompanied by a decreased input resistance (Rin). Often the change in resistance appeared to lag behind the change in membrane potential. The lack of coincident changes in membrane potential and resistance may reflect a superposition of the outward rectification properties of the membrane on beta-adrenergic-induced increases in ionic conductance. In about half of the cells, an initial small depolarization (3.1 +/- 0.3 mV, n = 14) was accompanied by a small but distinct increase in Rin (12 +/- 2.5%). When membrane potential was made more negative than the estimated equilibrium potential for K+ (EK) by injection of current, ISO also produced biphasic effects, an initial hyperpolarization which reversed to a sustained depolarization to a value (-90 mV) near the estimated EK. The hyperpolarization by ISO could be diminished in a time-dependent manner by previous exposure to ouabain. The inhibition by ouabain, however, appeared to be a fortuitous result of glycoside-induced positive shifts in EK. These observations indicate that the dominant electrophysiological effect of beta-adrenergic stimuli is to hyperpolarize the cell membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (6) ◽  
pp. C1284-C1290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid I. Akbarali ◽  
Hemant Thatte ◽  
Xue Dao He ◽  
Wayne R. Giles ◽  
Raj K. Goyal

An inwardly rectifying K+ conductance closely resembling the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (HERG) current was identified in single smooth muscle cells of opossum esophageal circular muscle. When cells were voltage clamped at 0 mV, in isotonic K+ solution (140 mM), step hyperpolarizations to −120 mV in 10-mV increments resulted in large inward currents that activated rapidly and then declined slowly (inactivated) during the test pulse in a time- and voltage- dependent fashion. The HERG K+ channel blockers E-4031 (1 μM), cisapride (1 μM), and La3+ (100 μM) strongly inhibited these currents as did millimolar concentrations of Ba2+. Immunoflourescence staining with anti-HERG antibody in single cells resulted in punctate staining at the sarcolemma. At membrane potentials near the resting membrane potential (−50 to −70 mV), this K+ conductance did not inactivate completely. In conventional microelectrode recordings, both E-4031 and cisapride depolarized tissue strips by 10 mV and also induced phasic contractions. In combination, these results provide direct experimental evidence for expression of HERG-like K+ currents in gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells and suggest that HERG plays an important role in modulating the resting membrane potential.


1986 ◽  
Vol 251 (3) ◽  
pp. C474-C481 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. P. Driska ◽  
R. Porter

A new method is described for the preparation of viable, elongated smooth muscle cells from the swine carotid artery. Cells were prepared by papain digestion of pressurized arteries in calcium-free solution. After digestion, the arteries were everted, and fine strips were teased from the intimal surface of the media in calcium-free solution, releasing single cells. Viability was assessed by exclusion of trypan blue and by appearance under phase-contrast microscopy. By these criteria, approximately 20% of the isolated cells were viable. The most distinguishing and unexpected characteristic of these cells was their length. Mean length of the relaxed viable cells was 240.4 +/- 47.4 microns (SD, n = 76), which is much longer than previously reported for arterial smooth muscle cells. Calcium (1.6 mM) caused most of the viable cells to contract slightly, and the mean cell length in calcium was 194.4 +/- 57.7 microns. Cells in 1.6 mM calcium contracted substantially in response to 10 microM histamine or the calcium ionophore A23187 (10 microM), demonstrating that histamine receptors and the contractile apparatus were still functional.


2001 ◽  
Vol 149 (23) ◽  
pp. 707-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. P. H. Hudson ◽  
I. G. Mayhew ◽  
G. T. Pearson

Intracellular microelectrode recordings were made from smooth muscle cells in cross-sectional preparations of equine ileum, superfused in vitro. Membrane potential oscillations and spike potentials were recorded in all preparations, but recordings were made more readily from cells in the longitudinal muscle layer than from cells in the circular layer. The mean (se) resting membrane potential (RMP) of smooth muscle cells in the longitudinal muscle layer was -51.9 (1.2) mV, and the membrane potential oscillations in this layer had a mean amplitude of 4.8 (0.4) mV, a frequency of 9.0 (0.1) cycles per minute and a duration of 5.8 (0.2) seconds. The membrane potential oscillations were preserved in the presence of tetrodotoxin. A waxing and waning pattern of membrane potential oscillation activity was observed. Nifedipine abolished the spiking contractile activity of the smooth muscle, did not abolish the membrane potential oscillations but did alter their temporal characteristics.


Physiology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Savineau ◽  
Roger Marthan

In a variety of smooth muscle cells, agonists activating membrane receptors induce oscillations in the cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration via an inositol trisphosphate-activated mechanism. Ca2+ oscillations participate in the control of cell membrane potential and the tone of smooth muscle. There is evidence that alterations in Ca2+ oscillations modulate smooth muscle responsiveness.


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (2) ◽  
pp. L433-L444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmelle V. Remillard ◽  
Wei-Min Zhang ◽  
Larissa A. Shimoda ◽  
James S. K. Sham

Ca+spark has been implicated as a pivotal feedback mechanism for regulating membrane potential and vasomotor tone in systemic arterial smooth muscle cells (SASMCs), but little is known about its properties in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). Using confocal microscopy, we identified spontaneous Ca2+ sparks in rat intralobar PASMCs and characterized their spatiotemporal properties and physiological functions. Ca2+ sparks of PASMCs had a lower frequency and smaller amplitude than cardiac sparks. They were abolished by inhibition of ryanodine receptors but not by inhibition of inositol trisphosphate receptors and L-type Ca2+ channels. Enhanced Ca2+ influx by BAY K8644, K+, or high Ca2+ caused a significant increase in spark frequency. Functionally, enhancing Ca2+ sparks with caffeine (0.5 mM) caused membrane depolarization in PASMCs, in contrast to hyperpolarization in SASMCs. Norepinephrine and endothelin-1 both caused global elevations in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]), but only endothelin-1 increased spark frequency. These results suggest that Ca2+ sparks of PASMCs are similar to those of SASMCs, originate from ryanodine receptors, and are enhanced by Ca2+ influx. However, they play a different modulatory role on membrane potential and are under agonist-specific regulation independent of global [Ca2+].


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document