Removal of Ca current inactivation in dialysed guinea-pig atrial cardioballs by Ca chelators

Modulation of calcium channel currents in guinea-pig single ventricular heart cells by the dihydropyridine Bay K 8644

1. A single glass micropipette voltage clamp technique with intracellular dialysis was used to study Ba2+ currents in isolated ventricular cells from guinea-pig hearts. Effects of the 1,4-dihydropyridine Bay K 8644 on whole-cell currents were evaluated at 37 degrees C. 2. Bay K 8644 increased the Ba2+ peak currents at test potentials between -50 and +20 mV and shifted the current-voltage relationships towards hyperpolarizing potentials (leftward shift for Ca2+ channel activation, 13.8 +/- 4.1 mV; n = 9; Bay K 8644, 5 mumol/l). 3. The peak times of the Ba2+ currents were diminished over the voltage range tested between -40 and +20 mV after Bay K 8644 in parallel with a shortening of the time constant of activation that was estimated from fits of the recorded currents with a d2f model. 4. The decay of the Ba2+ currents was fitted with two exponentials including a pedestal. The compound Bay K 8644 accelerated the fast decay over the whole voltage range. The amplitude of the rapidly inactivated component of the Ba2+ currents was strikingly increased after application of Bay K 8644. 5. The steady-state inactivation using a 0.5 or 5 s pre-pulse was shifted towards hyperpolarizing potentials (leftward shift 10.3 +/- 5.2 mV; n = 4; Bay K 8644, 5 mumol/l). 6. The change in the time course of Bay K 8644-modified Ba2+ currents cannot be described solely by a decrease of the backward rate coefficient from an open to a closed state of the Ca2+ channel (Sanguinetti, Krafte & Kass, 1986). The described effects of Bay K 8644 on the inactivation can be both qualitatively and quantitatively described by a model of current-dependent inactivation (Standen & Stanfield, 1982), assuming a lower affinity of an internal binding site for Ba2+ than for Ca2+.

Transient inward current in guinea-pig atrial myocytes reflects a change of sodium-calcium exchange current

1. Enzymatically isolated, cultured myocytes from hearts of adult guinea-pigs were voltage clamped with a whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The pipette-filling solution for internal dialysis contained 65 mM-citrate and 50 microM-EGTA as Ca2+-chelating agents and 20 mM-Na+. Potassium channel currents were blocked by replacing this ion on both sides of the membrane by Cs+. 2. In the above conditions myocytes develop spontaneous transient inward currents (Iti) at constant negative membrane holding potentials. At a given membrane potential Iti can be recorded with constant amplitude and frequency for periods of up to ca. 40 min. A membrane current with similar properties can be evoked by superfusion of the cell with caffeine-containing (5-10 mM) solution. 3. Depolarization results in a reduction of Iti amplitude and a prolongation of its duration. After a step change of the membrane potential to ca. -10 mV or a less-negative level only one inward current change is observed. Thereafter the membrane current remains inward with regard to the instantaneous current at this membrane potential. Complete relaxation of Iti then is only observed after repolarization to a more-negative membrane potential. 4. The current change caused by sarcoplasmic Ca2+ release is inward in a range of membrane potentials between -90 and +75 mV. A reversal of Iti was never detected. 5. Both the instantaneous current-voltage (I-V) relation and voltage dependence of peak Iti display distinct outward rectification. Both I-V relations can be described by a formalism suggested for a membrane current caused by electrogenic Na+-Ca2+ exchange (INa, Ca) assuming a 3:1 stoichiometry and a single energy barrier in the electric field of the membrane. 6. An increase of the time integral of Iti at the holding potential is observed after depolarizations to positive membrane potentials, where the outward-rectifying current component is prominent. This supports the view that the outward current represents INa, Ca in the 'reverse mode', carrying Ca2+ ions into the cell. 7. After prolonged cell dialysis a run-down of Iti is observed. Since strong depolarizations in this condition still can cause inward currents upon repolarization, run-down is likely to reflect an impairment of sarcoplasmic reticulum function rather than an effect of cell dialysis on the exchanger. 8. We conclude that under the present conditions a membrane current is measured, which to a large extent determines the 'passive' I-V curve of the myocytes. This current is modified by a rise in Ca2+(i) following sarcoplasmic Ca2+ release.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Fast and slowly inactivating components of Ca-channel current and their sensitivities to nicardipine in isolated smooth muscle cells from rat vas deferens

(1) Fast and slowly inactivating components of Ca-channel current were compared to clarify whether more than one type of Ca-channel exists in smooth muscle cells from rat vas deferens using the whole cell variant of the patch clamp technique. The pipette was filled with 150 mM Cs solution to eliminate outward current and Ba was used as the charge carrier for Ca-channel current. (2) When activated by a 5 s test pulse to O mV from a holding potential of -60 mV, the inactivation process of Ba-current was well fitted by the sum of two exponentials. The time constant of the faster inactivating component was 100-300 s and that of the slower inactivating component was 1.5-3 s. Steady-state inactivation curves of the fast- and slow-components were very similar. (3) The inward current activated at O mV from -80 mV was inactivated faster than that from -30 mV. The voltage-dependencies of the peak current from holding potentials of -30 mV and -80 mV were similar. Both had voltage threshold at -30 mV and were maximal at +10 mV. (4) Low concentrations of nicardipine (10(-9) to 10(-7) M) preferentially inhibited the slow component while higher concentration (10(-6) to 10(-5) M) were required to block the fast component. The current activated from a holding potential of -30 mV was almost fully suppressed by 10(-7) M nicardipine whereas that from -80 mV was blocked only slightly.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Involvement of calcium in calcium-current inactivation in smooth muscle cells from rat vas deferens

Ca-channel currents were recorded in Cs-loaded single smooth muscle cells from rat vas deferens to define the dependence of the inactivation time course on Ca concentration. The decay of Ca-channel current obtained in a Ba2+- or Sr2+-containing external solution during long voltage-clamp pulses was much slower than that in a Ca-containing solution. The difference was not due to a change in the surface potential of the membrane as judged from the steady-state activation and inactivation curves. When Ca was the charge carrier, increasing external Ca concentration slightly accelerated the rate of inactivation. In addition, the rate of inactivation of Ca-channel current in 10.8 mM Ba was also accelerated by adding Ca to the external solution in a concentration-dependent manner. The time course of Ca-current inactivation was slowed when the cells were dialyzed with a high concentration of citrate, a Ca-chelating agent. From these results, we concluded that a mechanism regulated by intracellular Ca activity plays a role in the inactivation of Ca channels in smooth muscle. The Ca-dependent process may protect against Ca overload by regulating Ca entry in smooth muscle cells.

Calcium-dependent inactivation of potential-dependent calcium inward current in an isolated guinea-pig smooth muscle cell

1. Calcium current (ICa) was studied in single isolated smooth muscle cells of a guinea-pig taenia caeci dialysed with Cs+-containing solution to suppress K+ outward current. 2. With increasing step depolarizations up to +10 mV, acceleration of ICa inactivation was observed. With further increase of step depolarization, ICa inactivation was slowed down. The largest ICa (observed at +10 mV) was characterized by the maximal speed of inactivation. 3. Comparison of ICa in different external concentrations of Ca2+ ions ([Ca2+]o) revealed that at the same membrane potential the time course of ICa inactivation was slower, the smaller the amplitude of ICa. Slowing down of ICa inactivation was observed also during its partial block by Co2+ ions. 4. Elevation of temperature increased ICa peak amplitude and accelerated its decay. The amplitude of ICa was increased by a factor of 1.7 +/- 0.14 (n = 6) when the temperature was raised by 10 degrees C. 5. Calculations of Ca2+ entry during ICa as a time integral of Co2+-sensitive current, and comparison with the degree of ICa inactivation, showed that inactivation was tightly related to Ca2+ entry in the membrane potential range -20 to +40 mV. 6. Ba2+ current through Ca2+ channels was larger than ICa and its inactivation was considerably slower. 7. Recovery of ICa from inactivation was found to be potential dependent. When the cell membrane was hyperpolarized, ICa recovery was accelerated. 8. It was concluded that inactivation and recovery of ICa in smooth muscle cells were influenced by both Ca2+ entry and membrane potential. It was also pointed out that the observed events are difficult to explain by the hypothesis that inactivation was produced simply by accumulation of Ca2+ ions near the inner side of the membrane, and that recovery was due to lowering of internal free Ca2+ ion concentration ([Ca2+]i).

Effects of calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum on membrane currents in guinea pig atrial cardioballs

(1) Ca current (ICa) and membrane currents related to Ca-entry during activation of ICa have been studied in cultured atrial myocytes from hearts of adult guinea pigs by means of patch clamp pipettes. The pipettes were filled with solutions containing citrate (65 mM) as major Ca-chelating compound and Cs ions in order to block K currents. (2) In myocytes dialysed with such solutions a monophasic time course of inactivation of ICa is observed, which is 1-2 orders of magnitude slower as compared to studies on intact cardiac cells or cells dialysed with EGTA as only Ca-chelating compound. (3) During long-lasting or repetitive depolarization a second component of ICa inactivation, apart from the slow decay observed in cells dialysed with such solutions, can be seen. This component of inactivation is not related to the depolarization as such but to loading of the cells with Ca2+. Whenever the rapid component of inactivation occurs, a transient inward current (Iti) after repolarization to the holding potential (-40 to -50 mV) is recorded. Both, ICa inactivation and Iti can be mimicked by extracellular application of caffeine (5-10 mM), suggesting both current changes to be caused by a rise in Cai due to Ca release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. In the presence of caffeine the rapid component of ICa-inactivation and Iti are abolished. (4) In addition to ICa inactivation and activation of Iti sarcoplasmic Ca release causes openings of a novel ion channel with large conductance (greater than 200 pS), the function of which is unknown. (5) The results are consistent with the concept of Cai-dependent inactivation of Ca current, which can be caused either by Ca-entry or by Ca-release from the SR. The transient inward current is likely to reflect a process of Ca-removal from the cell, namely Na-Ca exchange.

Changes of membrane currents in cardiac cells induced by long whole-cell recordings and tolbutamide

Single isolated myocytes were obtained from the ventricles of adult guinea pig hearts. The whole-cell recording configuration of the patch-clamp technique was used to measure membrane currents. A decrease (run-down) of the Ca2+ inward current and an increase of a time-independent K+ outward current were observed during long lasting (1-3h) recordings. The time at which the outward current developed depended on the intracellular ATP concentration in the pipette, suggesting that this current is identical to the ATP-dependent K+ current described by Noma and Shibasaki (1985). However, the maximum outward current reached in the experiments was independent of the ATP concentration indicating a limited diffusion of ATP in the cell interior. In single-channel experiments on isolated patches of cell membrane and in whole-cell recordings the ATP-dependent K+ current could be blocked by the hypoglycaemic sulphonylurea tolbutamide. The IC50 of 0.38 mM was about 50 times higher than that reported for pancreatic beta-cells (Trube et al. 1986). The Ca2+ inward current and the inwardly rectifying K+ current were not affected by tolbutamide (3 mM).

Nimodipine block of calcium channels in rat anterior pituitary cells

1. Ca channels were studied in the GH4C1 clonal cell line derived from rat anterior pituitary cells. The whole-cell variation of the patch-electrode voltage-clamp technique was used. 2. Two types of Ca channels were found. One type ('slowly inactivating' channels) is insensitive to changes in holding potential, does not inactivate during test pulses lasting several seconds, and deactivates very quickly upon repolarization. For holding potentials less than -40 mV, a second type of Ca channel is available for opening. This population ('transient' channels) differs from the first type in that it activates at more negative potentials, inactivates rapidly with either Ca or Ba as the charge carrier, deactivates about 10 times more slowly upon repolarization, and is less selective for Ba over Cs. 3. Nimodipine preferentially blocks the slowly inactivating channels. Block of these channels is time- and voltage-dependent, such that block is maximized by long depolarizations. 4. A comparison of the voltage dependence of steady-state nimodipine block with the voltage dependence of channel activation indicates that channel block is directly proportional to the number of open channels. The results are accounted for by a model that postulates 1:1 high-affinity drug binding to open Ca channels. The apparent dissociation constant for binding to open channels is 517 pM. Similar binding constants were previously reported for the inhibition of high-K-induced hormone secretion and high-affinity ligand binding of [3H]nimodipine to isolated plasma membranes. 5. The rate of onset of nimodipine block increases with the test potential, in quantitative agreement with the model of open-channel block. The apparent association rate is about 9.6 X 10(7) M-1 s-1; the dissociation rate is about 0.050 s-1. At therapeutic concentrations (less than 10 nM) nimodipine block takes many seconds to reach equilibrium. 6. Nimodipine should have little effect on stimulus-secretion coupling in healthy pituitary cells in vivo because: (a) the drug binds very weakly to the transient channels that are open at normal resting potentials, and (b) negligible high-affinity binding occurs during spontaneous activity because the onset of block is very slow.

Excitation-contraction coupling and extracellular calcium transients in rabbit atrium: reconstruction of basic cellular mechanisms

Interactions of electrogenic sodium-calcium exchange, calcium channel and sarcoplasmic reticulum in the mammalian heart have been explored by simulation of extracellular calcium transients measured with tetramethylmurexide in rabbit atrium. The approach has been to use the simplest possible formulations of these mechanisms, which together with a minimum number of additional mechanisms allow reconstruction of action potentials, intracellular calcium transients and extracellular calcium transients. A 3:1 sodium-calcium exchange stoichiometry is assumed. Calcium-channel inactivation is assumed to take place by a voltage-dependent mechanism, which is accelerated by a rise in intracellular calcium; intracellular calcium release becomes a major physiological regulator of calcium influx via calcium channels. A calcium release mechanism is assumed, which is both calcium- and voltage-sensitive, and which undergoes prolonged inactivation. 200 microM cytosolic calcium buffer is assumed. For most simulations only instantaneous potassium conductances are simulated so as to study the other mechanisms independently of time- and calcium-dependent outward current. Thus, the model reconstructs extracellular calcium transients and typical action-potential configuration changes during steady-state and non-steady-state stimulation from the mechanisms directly involved in trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements. The model predicts relatively small trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements during regular stimulation (ca. 2 mumol kg-1 fresh mass per excitation); calcium current is fully activated within 2 ms of excitation, inactivation is substantially complete within 30 ms, and sodium-calcium exchange significantly resists repolarization from approximately -30 mV. Net calcium movements many times larger are possible during non-steady-state stimulation. Long action potentials at premature excitations or after inhibition of calcium release can be supported almost exclusively by calcium current (net calcium influx 5-30 mumol kg-1 fresh mass); action potentials during potentiated post-stimulatory contractions can be supported almost exclusively by sodium-calcium exchange (net calcium efflux 4-20 mumol kg-1 fresh mass). Large calcium movements between the extracellular space and the sarcoplasmic reticulum can take place through the cytosol with virtually no contractile activation. The simulations provide integrated explanations of electrical activity, contractile function and trans-sarcolemmal calcium movements, which were outside the explanatory range of previous models.

Voltage-dependent properties of macroscopic and elementary calcium channel currents in guinea pig ventricular myocytes

Whole-cell Ca channel currents were recorded from guinea pig ventricular myocytes that were internally perfused with Cs solution and bathed in solutions containing 3.6 mM Ca, 3.6 mM Ba or 90 mM Ba (34 degrees C). Single Ca channel currents were recorded from cell-attached membrane patches of similar myocytes; the patch pipettes contained a 90 mM Ba solution. 1. Although the shape of the whole-cell I-V relation was independent of the bathing solution, this was not the case with the location of the inward current maximum (Vpeak); Vpeak in 90 mM Ba was about 30 mV positive to Vpeak in 3.6 mM Ba. 2. The activation and inactivation of whole-cell currents were voltage dependent. Compared to the voltage dependencies in 3.6 mM Ba, those in 90 mM Ba were shifted by about 30 mV to the right, suggesting a neutralization of surface charges. 3. Observations compatible with the ion permeation model proposed by Hess and Tsien (1984) included (a) a depression of current during Ca/Ba solution exchange, (b) a high divalent to monovalent ion permeability, and (c) rectification of the outward limb of the I-V relation. 4. Estimated current densities at Vpeak were similar for myocytes in 3.6 mM Ca and 3.6 mM Ba, and about 10 times larger in 90 mM Ba. 5. Average currents (I) calculated from ensembles of records of single Ca channel current had voltage-dependent time courses resembling those of whole-cell IBa (90 mM). 6. Single-channel I-V relations were superimposable on whole-cell I-V curves suggesting that voltage-dependent single-channel parameters (probability of opening, elementary current amplitude) can be related to the voltage-dependent macroscopic current parameters (activation, instantaneous I-V relation) when scaled by channel number. 7. The density of Ca channels in myocytes was calculated from whole-cell IBa (90 mM) and average current through single channels. The outcome, 3-5 channels/micron 2, agrees with two other recent estimates (Tsien et al. 1983; Lux and Brown 1984). However, it is difficult to reconcile with the much lower density that one would forecast from the frequency of functional channel observation in myocyte membrane patches (Pelzer et al. 1985c).