scholarly journals Voltage clamp of cat motoneurone somata: properties of the fast inward current.

1980 ◽  
Vol 304 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
J N Barrett ◽  
W E Crill
Keyword(s):  
1979 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
YOUKO SATOW ◽  
CHING KUNG

Transient inward currents across the membrane of P. tetraurelia are recorded upon step depolarizations with a voltage clamp in solutions where Ca2+ is the only added inorganic cation. It is shown that the current is normally carried by Ca2+ through the Ca-channels which activate and inactivate in time. The transient inward current is dependent on both the size of the depolarizing step and the holding level before the step. Maximum inward current (Imax) occurs when the membrane is first held at the resting level (- 30 mV), then stepped to 0 mV in a solution containing 0.91 mM-Ca2+. The Imax is smaller when the membrane is first held at depolarized level. This is due to the depolarization-sensitive inactivation of the Ca-channels. The Imax is also smaller when the membrane is first held at a hyperpolarized level. This may be explained by the activation of hyperpolarization-sensitive K-channels known to exist in the Paramecium membrane. I max increases with concentration of Ca2+ up to 0.9 mM. Further increase in the Ca2+ concentration does not affect Imax. This apparent saturation at 0.9 mM-Ca2+ may reflect a rate-limiting step of Ca2+ permeation. The increase in Ca2+ concentration shifts the V-Ipeak curve in the direction of less sensitivity. This result is best explained as the effect of bound Ca2+ on the surface potential of the Paramecium membrane. These results provide the first detailed description of the properties of the action current through the Ca-channel in Paramecium. They also define the conditions under which future voltage-clamp studies of wild-type and mutant membranes of P. tetraurelia should be performed, i.e. to maximize the resolution of the Ca-channel activity, the membrane should be held at or near the resting potential and there should be over 0.9 mM-Ca2+ in the test solutions. The behaviour of the Paramecium Ca-channel and small Imax in the presence of K+ are discussed.


1984 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 340-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. K. Kaczmarek ◽  
F. Strumwasser

A variety of chemical and electrophysiological evidence indicates that the onset of afterdischarge and the subsequent profound enhancement of spike broadening that occur in the bag cell neurons of Aplysia are related to an increase in adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-(cAMP) dependent protein phosphorylation. We have now used a two-electrode voltage clamp to study the properties of isolated bag cell neurons in cell culture and their response to 8 benzylthio-cAMP (8BTcAMP) and N6-n-butyl 8BTcAMP. These membrane-permeant and phosphodiesterase-resistant cAMP analogs induce spontaneous discharge and spike broadening in both the intact bag cell cluster and isolated bag cell neurons in cell culture. The dominant inward current in these cultured cells was found to be the calcium current, Ica, which was abolished by Co2+ (20 mM) or Ni2+ (10 mM) and could be observed in Na+-free media. In a minority of cells (2 of 12), in normal ionic media, a transient inward current was observed that was unaffected by Co2+ and Ni2+ and probably represents a sodium current. The three characterized potassium currents, the delayed rectifying current IK, the calcium-dependent current IC, and the early transient current IA, distinguished by their differing pharmacological and voltage-activation properties, were present in all healthy cells. Three effects of the cyclic AMP analogs (0.5 mM) on the electrical properties of these cells were 1) the emergence of a region of negative slope resistance in the steady-state I-V relations, 2) a depression of the net sustained outward currents due to depolarizing commands, and 3) a marked reduction in IA. When outward currents had been largely suppressed using high concentrations of tetraethylammonium (TEA) ions (100-460 mM) no effects of the cyclic AMP analogs could be observed on peak inward currents using NA+ and Ca2+ or Ba2+ as carriers of inward current. At least part of these electrical effects of the cyclic AMP analogs could be accounted for by a depression of a delayed potassium current and the A current.


1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (9) ◽  
pp. 1153-1159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Deslauriers ◽  
E. Ruiz-Ceretti ◽  
O. F. Schanne ◽  
M. D. Payet

The electrophysiologic effects of a toxic concentration of ouabain (10−5 M) were studied in frog atrial trabeculae. The toxic concentration was determined by the appearance of a negative inotropic effect and an increase in basal tension. Current- and voltage-clamp measurements were performed. Ouabain did not alter the passive electrical properties of the preparation. Under current-clamp conditions the membrane depolarized and the action potential amplitude as well as its maximum rate of rise decreased. The current–voltage curve for the fast inward current was shifted toward more positive potentials and the maximum sodium current decreased. The maximum sodium conductance was also reduced. The process of reactivation of the fast inward current was accelerated. The slow inward current and the maximum slow conductance also decreased under ouabain. These effects could explain the negative inotropic action of high concentrations of glycosides, as well as the action potential changes observed by several investigators. They also help to understand the arrhythmogenic effects of high concentrations of digitalis.


1982 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. 1015-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wiemer ◽  
R. Ziskoven ◽  
C. Achenbach

To conclude our investigation of thallium effects on cardiac tissues, we studied the slow inward current of sheep cardiac Purkinje fibres exposed to 10-7 to 10-5 ᴍ Tl+ for extended periods of up to 80 min. Our previous results had suggested a possible involvement of the slow inward current during thallium intoxication: a) the modification of contractility staircases observed during thallium exposure, b) action potential recordings of ventricular muscle, c) changes in spontaneous beating in sino-atrial preparations. The thallium levels chosen were between those yielding strong positive inotropic transients and those producing a marked long­term decay of contraction force.The slow inward current was measured using a conventional two-microelectrode-technique and the standard voltage clamp protocol for this current system. The experimental work was restricted to the determination of d∞, the kinetics of activation of the slow inward current and of īsi, the current voltage relation of the current system. This was necessary since the effects of thallium were known to be short-lived and therefore frequent repeat runs of the voltage clamp program had to be performed in order to obtain the time courses of possible transient changes.The results showed that the slow inward current was first increased and then declined at the low concentration of 10-7 ᴍ Tl+. At 10-5 m Tl+ the initial increase was smaller, whereas the decay of the slow inward current proceeded to lower values. Comparison with contractility measure­ments at the same concentrations of thallium showed a distinct parallelism between changes of the slow inward current and myocardial contractility. Despite this apparent relationship, we do not conclude that the contractile events are primarily a result of changes of the slow inward current, since thallium does not seem to specifically alter the parameters of the slow inward current at the membrane level.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 589-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. GYENES ◽  
A. A. BULYCHEV ◽  
G. A. KURELLA

1995 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 2366-2378 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. Harris ◽  
A. Constanti

1. The effects of the novel bradycardic agent 4-(N-ethyl-N-phenylamino)-1,2-dimethyl-6-(methylamino) pyrimidinium chloride (ZD 7288) (Zeneca) were investigated on the hyperpolarization-activated cationic current (Ih) in guinea pig substantia nigra pars compacta neurons in vitro, using a single-microelectrode current-clamp/voltage-clamp technique. 2. Under current-clamp conditions, injection of large negative current pulses (0.1-0.5 nA, 400 ms) evoked a slow depolarizing "sag" in the electrotonic potential due to activation of the slow inward (anomalous) rectifier. In voltage-clamp recordings, hyperpolarizing voltage steps from a holding potential of -60 mV (close to resting potential) elicited slow inward current relaxations with kinetic properties similar to those seen for other neuronal Ihs. 3. ZD 7288 (10-100 microM) produced a consistent abolition of the electrotonic potential sag with no effect on membrane potential or spike properties. Under voltage clamp, Ih amplitude was clearly reduced in a time- and concentration-dependent manner (apparent half-maximum blocking concentration = 2 microM); full block of Ih was typically achieved after 10-15 min of exposure to 50 microM ZD 7288, with no significant recovery observed after 1 h of washing. 4. A similar (although more rapid) block of Ih was seen after application of 3-5 mM Cs+ (partially reversible after 30 min of washing). 5. Partial block of Ih by 10 microM ZD 7288 was accompanied by a reduction in the maximum amplitude of the Ih activation curve, a small negative shift in its position on the voltage axis, and a linearization of the steady-state current-voltage relationship. The estimated Ih reversal potential, however, remained unaffected. 6. In 10 microM ZD 7288, the time course of Ih activation and deactivation was significantly slowed (within the range of -70 to -120 mV for the activation time constant and -70 to -90 mV for the inactivation time constant). 7. Blockade of Ih by ZD 7288 or Cs+ was independent of prior Ih activation (i.e., non-use dependent). 8. Intracellular loading with ZD 7288 also abolished the sag in the electrotonic voltage response and Ih relaxations, suggesting an intracellular site of action. By contrast, intracellular Cs+ had no effect on Ih properties. 9. Block of Ih by ZD 7288 (but not Cs+) was relieved by prolonged cell hyperpolarization, manifested as a slowly developing (half-time approximately 20 s) inward current at a holding potential of -100 mV. 10. We propose that ZD 7288, when applied externally, may behave as a "lipophilic" quaternary cation, capable of passing into the cell interior to block Ih channels in their closed state; this compound may thus prove a useful research tool, in place of Cs+, for studying the properties and significance of Ih currents in controlling neuronal function.


1982 ◽  
Vol 394 (2) ◽  
pp. 150-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu. I. Zilberter ◽  
E. N. Timin ◽  
Z. A. Bendukidze ◽  
N. A. Burnashev

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