Potassium current suppression by quinidine reveals additional calcium currents in neuroblastoma cells

Melatonin alters the excitability of mouse cerebellar granule neurons by inhibiting voltage-gated sodium, potassium, and calcium channels

Besides its role in the circadian rhythm, the pineal gland hormone melatonin (MLT) also possesses antiepileptogenic, antineoplastic, and cardioprotective properties, among others. The dosages necessary to elicit beneficial effects in these diseases often far surpass physiological concentrations. Although even high doses of MLT are considered to be largely harmless to humans, the possible side effects of pharmacological concentrations are so far not well investigated. In the present study, we report that pharmacological doses of MLT (3 mM) strongly altered the electrophysiological characteristics of cultured primary mouse cerebellar granule cells (CGCs). Using whole-cell patch clamp and ratiometric Ca2+ imaging, we observed that pharmacological concentrations of MLT inhibited several types of voltage-gated Na+ , K+ , and Ca2+ channels in CGCs independently of known MLT-receptors, altering the character and pattern of elicited action potentials (APs) significantly, quickly and reversibly. Specifically, MLT reduced AP frequency, afterhyperpolarization, and rheobase, whereas AP amplitude and threshold potential remained unchanged. The altered biophysical profile of the cells could constitute a possible mechanism underlying the proposed beneficial effects of MLT in brain-related disorders, such as epilepsy. On the other hand, it suggests potential adverse effects of pharmacological MLT concentrations on neurons, which should be considered when using MLT as a pharmacological compound.

Choline and NMDG directly reduce outward currents: reduced outward current when these substances replace Na+ is alone not evidence of Na+-activated K+ currents

Choline chloride is often, and N-methyl-d-glucamine (NMDG) sometimes, used to replace sodium chloride in studies of sodium-activated potassium channels. Given the high concentrations used in sodium replacement protocols, it is essential to test that it is not the replacement substances themselves, as opposed to the lack of sodium, that cause any observed effects. We therefore compared, in lobster stomatogastric neurons and leech Retzius cells, the effects of applying salines in which choline chloride replaced sodium chloride, and in which choline hydroxide or sucrose was added to normal saline. We also tested, in stomatogastric neurons, the effect of adding NMDG to normal saline. These protocols allowed us to measure the direct effects (i.e., effects not due to changes in sodium concentration or saline osmolarity or ionic strength) of choline on stomatogastric and leech currents, and of NMDG on stomatogastric currents. Choline directly reduced transient and sustained depolarization-activated outward currents in both species, and NMDG directly reduced transient depolarization-activated outward currents in stomatogastric neurons. Experiments with lower choline concentrations showed that adding as little as 150 mM (stomatogastric) or 5 mM (leech) choline reduced at least some depolarization-activated outward currents. Reductions in outward current with choline chloride or NMDG replacement alone are thus not evidence of sodium-activated potassium currents. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We show that choline or N-methyl-d-glucamine (NMDG) directly (i.e., not due to changes in extracellular sodium) decrease outward currents. Prior work studying sodium-activated potassium channels in which sodium was replaced with choline or NMDG without an addition control may therefore be artifactual.

Habituation in non-neural organisms: evidence from slime moulds

Learning, defined as a change in behaviour evoked by experience, has hitherto been investigated almost exclusively in multicellular neural organisms. Evidence for learning in non-neural multicellular organisms is scant, and only a few unequivocal reports of learning have been described in single-celled organisms. Here we demonstrate habituation, an unmistakable form of learning, in the non-neural organism Physarum polycephalum In our experiment, using chemotaxis as the behavioural output and quinine or caffeine as the stimulus, we showed that P. polycephalum learnt to ignore quinine or caffeine when the stimuli were repeated, but responded again when the stimulus was withheld for a certain time. Our results meet the principle criteria that have been used to demonstrate habituation: responsiveness decline and spontaneous recovery. To distinguish habituation from sensory adaptation or motor fatigue, we also show stimulus specificity. Our results point to the diversity of organisms lacking neurons, which likely display a hitherto unrecognized capacity for learning, and suggest that slime moulds may be an ideal model system in which to investigate fundamental mechanisms underlying learning processes. Besides, documenting learning in non-neural organisms such as slime moulds is centrally important to a comprehensive, phylogenetic understanding of when and where in the tree of life the earliest manifestations of learning evolved.

Electrospun Fibers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Regeneration

Electrospinning is the process by which a scaffold containing micrometer and nanometer diameter fibers are drawn from a polymer solution or melt using a large voltage gradient between a polymer emitting source and a grounded collector. Ramakrishna and colleagues first investigated electrospun fibers for neural applications in 2004. After this initial study, electrospun fibers are increasingly investigated for neural tissue engineering applications. Electrospun fibers robustly support axonal regeneration within in vivo rodent models of spinal cord injury. These findings suggest the possibility of their eventual use within patients. Indeed, both spinal cord and peripheral nervous system regeneration research over the last several years shows that physical guidance cues induce recovery of limb, respiration, or bladder control in rodent models. Electrospun fibers may be an alternative to the peripheral nerve graft (PNG), because PNG autografts injure the patient and are limited in supply, and allografts risk host rejection. In addition, electrospun fibers can be engineered easily to confront new therapeutic challenges. Fibers can be modified to release therapies locally or can be physically modified to direct neural stem cell differentiation. This review summarizes the major findings and trends in the last decade of research, with a particular focus on spinal cord injury. This review also demonstrates how electrospun fibers can be used to study the central nervous system in vitro.

Functional and morphological development of the womb throughout life

The uterus undergoes changes throughout a woman's life, beginning with her own embryonic development when she is still in the womb, commencing a monthly cycle at the onset of adulthood, and undergoing dramatic changes during pregnancy and parturition. The impact of preterm labour and other perinatal health problems is significant, both in human and financial terms; therefore the study of the physiological and regulatory changes which the uterus undergoes can be of enormous potential benefit. Here we briefly review the current state of knowledge, with an emphasis on the importance of changes in connectivity in the uterine smooth muscle cell network and on recent mathematical modelling work aimed at elucidating the role of spatial heterogeneity in this connected network.

Voltage‑gated K+ channel blocker quinidine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis by regulating expression of microRNAs in human glioma U87‑MG cells

Accumulating evidence has proved that potassium channels (K+ channels) are involved in regulating cell proliferation, cell cycle progression and apoptosis of tumor cells. However, the precise cellular mechanisms are still unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect and mechanisms of quinidine, a commonly used voltage-gated K+ channel blocker, on cell proliferation and apoptosis of human glioma U87-MG cells. We found that quinidine significantly inhibited the proliferation of U87-MG cells and induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The results of caspase colorimetric assay showed that the mitochondrial pathway was the main mode involved in the quinidine-induced apoptotic process. Furthermore, the concentration range of quinidine, which inhibited voltage-gated K+ channel currents in electrophysiological assay, was consistent with that of quinidine inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell apoptosis. In U87-MG cells treated with quinidine (100 µmol/l), 11 of 2,042 human microRNAs (miRNAs) were upregulated and 16 were downregulated as detected with the miRNA array analysis. The upregulation of miR-149-3p and downregulation of miR-424-5p by quinidine treatment were further verified by using quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, using miRNA target prediction program, putative target genes related to cell proliferation and apoptosis for two differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted. Taken together, these data suggested that the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptosis effect of voltage-gated K+ channel blocker quinidine in human glioma cells was mediated at least partly through regulating expression of miRNAs, and provided further support for the mechanisms of voltage-gated K+ channels in mediating cell proliferation and apoptosis.

The cellular building blocks of breathing

Respiratory brainstem neurons fulfill critical roles in controlling breathing: they generate the activity patterns for breathing and contribute to various sensory responses including changes in O2 and CO2. These complex sensorimotor tasks depend on the dynamic interplay between numerous cellular building blocks that consist of voltage-, calcium-, and ATP-dependent ionic conductances, various ionotropic and metabotropic synaptic mechanisms, as well as neuromodulators acting on G-protein coupled receptors and second messenger systems. As described in this review, the sensorimotor responses of the respiratory network emerge through the state-dependent integration of all these building blocks. There is no known respiratory function that involves only a small number of intrinsic, synaptic, or modulatory properties. Because of the complex integration of numerous intrinsic, synaptic, and modulatory mechanisms, the respiratory network is capable of continuously adapting to changes in the external and internal environment, which makes breathing one of the most integrated behaviors. Not surprisingly, inspiration is critical not only in the control of ventilation, but also in the context of "inspiring behaviors" such as arousal of the mind and even creativity. Far-reaching implications apply also to the underlying network mechanisms, as lessons learned from the respiratory network apply to network functions in general.

Calcium influx through N-type channels and activation of SK and TRP-like channels regulates tonic firing of neurons in rat paraventricular thalamus

The thalamus is a major relay and integration station in the central nervous system. While there is a large body of information on the firing and network properties of neurons contained within sensory thalamic nuclei, less is known about the neurons located in midline thalamic nuclei, which are thought to modulate arousal and homeostasis. One midline nucleus that has been implicated in mediating stress responses is the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT). Like other thalamic neurons, these neurons display two distinct firing modes, burst and tonic. In contrast to burst firing, little is known about the ionic mechanisms modulating tonic firing in these cells. Here we performed a series of whole cell recordings to characterize tonic firing in PVT neurons in acute rat brain slices. We found that PVT neurons are able to fire sustained, low-frequency, weakly accommodating trains of action potentials in response to a depolarizing stimulus. Unexpectedly, PVT neurons displayed a very high propensity to enter depolarization block, occurring at stimulus intensities that would elicit tonic firing in other thalamic neurons. The tonic firing behavior of these cells is modulated by a functional interplay between N-type Ca2+ channels and downstream activation of small-conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ (SK) channels and a transient receptor potential (TRP)-like conductance. Thus these ionic conductances endow PVT neurons with a narrow dynamic range, which may have fundamental implications for the integrative properties of this nucleus.

Auranofin protects against anthrax lethal toxin-induced activation of the Nlrp1b inflammasome

Anthrax lethal toxin (LT) is the major virulence factor for Bacillus anthracis. The lethal factor (LF) component of this bipartite toxin is a protease which, when transported into the cellular cytoplasm, cleaves mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) family proteins and induces rapid toxicity in mouse macrophages through activation of the Nlrp1b inflammasome. A high-throughput screen was performed to identify synergistic LT-inhibitory drug combinations from within a library of approved drugs and molecular probes. From this screen we discovered that auranofin, an organogold compound with anti-inflammatory activity, strongly inhibited LT-mediated toxicity in mouse macrophages. Auranofin did not inhibit toxin transport into cells or MEK cleavage but inhibited both LT-mediated caspase-1 activation and caspase-1 catalytic activity. Thus, auranofin inhibited LT-mediated toxicity by preventing activation of the Nlrp1b inflammasome and the downstream actions that occur in response to the toxin. Idebenone, an analog of coenzyme Q, synergized with auranofin to increase its protective effect. We found that idebenone functions as an inhibitor of voltage-gated potassium channels and thus likely mediates synergy through inhibition of the potassium fluxes which have been shown to be required for Nlrp1b inflammasome activation.

Quinidine interaction with Shab K+ channels: pore block and irreversible collapse of the K+ conductance

Quinidine is a commonly used antiarrhythmic agent and a tool to study ion channels. Here it is reported that quinidine equilibrates within seconds across the Sf9 plasma membrane, blocking the open pore of Shab channels from the intracellular side of the membrane in a voltage-dependent manner with 1:1 stoichiometry. On binding to the channels, quinidine interacts with pore K(+) ions in a mutually destabilizing manner. As a result, when the channels are blocked by quinidine with the cell bathed in an external medium lacking K(+), the Shab conductance G(K) collapses irreversibly, despite the presence of a physiological [K(+)] in the intracellular solution. The quinidine-promoted collapse of Shab G(K) resembles the collapse of Shaker G(K) observed with 0 K(+) solutions on both sides of the membrane: thus the extent of G(K) drop depends on the number of activating pulses applied in the presence of quinidine, but is independent of the pulse duration. Taken together the observations indicate that, as in Shaker, the quinidine-promoted collapse of Shab G(K) occurs during deactivation of the channels, at the end of each activating pulse, with a probability of 0.1 per pulse at 80 mV. It appears that when Shab channels are open, the pore conformation able to conduct is stable in the absence of K(+), but on deactivation this conformation collapses irreversibly.

Analysis of toxin-induced changes in action potential shape for drug development

The generation of an action potential (AP) is a complex process in excitable cells that involves the temporal opening and closing of several voltage-dependent ion channels within the cell membrane. The shape of an AP can carry information concerning the state of the involved ion channels as well as their relationship to cellular processes. Alteration of these ion channels by the administration of toxins, drugs, and biochemicals can change the AP's shape in a specific way, which can be characteristic for a given compound. Thus, AP shape analysis could be a valuable tool for toxin classification and the measurement of drug effects based on their mechanism of action. In an effort to begin classifying the effect of toxins on the shape of intracellularly recorded APs, patch-clamp experiments were performed on NG108-15 hybrid cells in the presence of veratridine, tetraethylammonium, and quinine. To analyze the effect, the authors generated a computer model of the AP mechanism to determine to what extent each ion channel was affected during compound administration based on the changes in the model parameters. This work is a first step toward establishing a new assay system for toxin detection and identification by AP shape analysis.

Characterization of voltage-gated potassium channels in human neural progenitor cells

Background

Voltage-gated potassium (K_v) channels are among the earliest ion channels to appear during brain development, suggesting a functional requirement for progenitor cell proliferation and/or differentiation. We tested this hypothesis, using human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) as a model system.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In proliferating hNPCs a broad spectrum of K_v channel subtypes was identified using quantitative real-time PCR with a predominant expression of the A-type channel K_v4.2. In whole-cell patch-clamp recordings K_v currents were separated into a large transient component characteristic for fast-inactivating A-type potassium channels (I_A) and a small, sustained component produced by delayed-rectifying channels (I_K). During differentiation the expression of I_A as well as A-type channel transcripts dramatically decreased, while I_K producing delayed-rectifiers were upregulated. Both K_v currents were differentially inhibited by selective neurotoxins like phrixotoxin-1 and α-dendrotoxin as well as by antagonists like 4-aminopyridine, ammoniumchloride, tetraethylammonium chloride and quinidine. In viability and proliferation assays chronic inhibition of the A-type currents severely disturbed the cell cycle and precluded proper hNPC proliferation, while the blockade of delayed-rectifiers by α-dendrotoxin increased proliferation.

Conclusions/Significance

These findings suggest that A-type potassium currents are essential for proper proliferation of immature multipotent hNPCs.

Insulin increases excitability via a dose-dependent dual inhibition of voltage-activated K+ currents in differentiated N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells

A role in the control of excitability has been attributed to insulin via modulation of potassium (K(+)) currents. To investigate insulin modulatory effects on voltage-activated potassium currents in a neuronal cell line with origin in the sympathetic system, we performed whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings in differentiated N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells. Two main voltage-activated K(+) currents were identified: (a) a relatively fast inactivating current (I(fast) - time constant 50-300 ms); (b) a slow delayed rectifying K(+) current (I(slow) - time constant 1-4 s). The kinetics of inactivation of I(fast), rather than I(slow), showed clear voltage dependence. I(fast) and I(slow) exhibited different activation and inactivation dependence for voltage, and have different but nevertheless high sensitivities to tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine and quinidine. In differentiated cells - rather than in non-differentiated cells - application of up to 300 nm insulin reduced I(slow) only (IC(50) = 6.7 nm), whereas at higher concentrations I(fast) was also affected (IC(50) = 7.7 microm). The insulin inhibitory effect is not due to a change in the activation or inactivation current-voltage profiles, and the time-dependent inactivation is also not altered; this is not likely to be a result of activation of the insulin-growth-factor-1 (IGF1) receptors, as application of IGF1 did not result in significant current alteration. Results suggest that the current sensitive to low concentrations of insulin is mediated by erg-like channels. Similar observations concerning the insulin inhibitory effect on slow voltage-activated K(+) currents were also made in isolated rat hippocampal pyramidal neurons, suggesting a widespread neuromodulator role of insulin on K(+) channels.

Transient rhythmic network activity in the somatosensory cortex evoked by distributed input in vitro

The initiation and maintenance of physiological and pathophysiological oscillatory activity depends on the synaptic interactions within neuronal networks. We studied the mechanisms underlying evoked transient network oscillation in acute slices of the adolescent rat somatosensory cortex and modeled its underpinning mechanisms. Oscillations were evoked by brief spatially distributed noisy extracellular stimulation, delivered via bipolar electrodes. Evoked transient network oscillation was detected with multi-neuron patch-clamp recordings under different pharmacological conditions. The observed oscillations are in the frequency range of 2-5 Hz and consist of 4-12 mV large, 40-150 ms wide compound synaptic events with rare overlying action potentials. This evoked transient network oscillation is only weakly expressed in the somatosensory cortex and requires increased [K+]o of 6.25 mM and decreased [Ca2+]o of 1.5 mM and [Mg2+]o of 0.5 mM. A peak in the cross-correlation among membrane potential in layers II/III, IV and V neurons reflects the underlying network-driven basis of the evoked transient network oscillation. The initiation of the evoked transient network oscillation is accompanied by an increased [K+]o and can be prevented by the K+ channel blocker quinidine. In addition, a shift of the chloride reversal potential takes place during stimulation, resulting in a depolarizing type A GABA (GABAA) receptor response. Blockade of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-proprionate (AMPA), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), or GABA(A) receptors as well as gap junctions prevents evoked transient network oscillation while a reduction of AMPA or GABA(A) receptor desensitization increases its duration and amplitude. The apparent reversal potential of -27 mV of the evoked transient network oscillation, its pharmacological profile, as well as the modeling results suggest a mixed contribution of glutamatergic, excitatory GABAergic, and gap junctional conductances in initiation and maintenance of this oscillatory activity. With these properties, evoked transient network oscillation resembles epileptic afterdischarges more than any other form of physiological or pathophysiological neocortical oscillatory activity.

T-type calcium channel regulation by specific G-protein betagamma subunits

Low-voltage-activated (LVA) T-type calcium channels have a wide tissue distribution and have well-documented roles in the control of action potential burst generation and hormone secretion. In neurons of the central nervous system and secretory cells of the adrenal and pituitary, LVA channels are inhibited by activation of G-protein-coupled receptors that generate membrane-delimited signals, yet these signals have not been identified. Here we show that the inhibition of alpha1H (Ca(v)3.2), but not alpha(1G) (Ca(v)3.1) LVA Ca2+ channels is mediated selectively by beta2gamma2 subunits that bind to the intracellular loop connecting channel transmembrane domains II and III. This region of the alpha1H channel is crucial for inhibition, because its replacement abrogates inhibition and its transfer to non-modulated alpha1G channels confers beta2gamma2-dependent inhibition. betagamma reduces channel activity independent of voltage, a mechanism distinct from the established betagamma-dependent inhibition of non-L-type high-voltage-activated channels of the Ca(v)2 family. These studies identify the alpha1H channel as a new effector for G-protein betagamma subunits, and highlight the selective signalling roles available for particular betagamma combinations.

Molecular physiology of low-voltage-activated t-type calcium channels

T-type Ca2+ channels were originally called low-voltage-activated (LVA) channels because they can be activated by small depolarizations of the plasma membrane. In many neurons Ca2+ influx through LVA channels triggers low-threshold spikes, which in turn triggers a burst of action potentials mediated by Na+ channels. Burst firing is thought to play an important role in the synchronized activity of the thalamus observed in absence epilepsy, but may also underlie a wider range of thalamocortical dysrhythmias. In addition to a pacemaker role, Ca2+ entry via T-type channels can directly regulate intracellular Ca2+ concentrations, which is an important second messenger for a variety of cellular processes. Molecular cloning revealed the existence of three T-type channel genes. The deduced amino acid sequence shows a similar four-repeat structure to that found in high-voltage-activated (HVA) Ca2+ channels, and Na+ channels, indicating that they are evolutionarily related. Hence, the alpha1-subunits of T-type channels are now designated Cav3. Although mRNAs for all three Cav3 subtypes are expressed in brain, they vary in terms of their peripheral expression, with Cav3.2 showing the widest expression. The electrophysiological activities of recombinant Cav3 channels are very similar to native T-type currents and can be differentiated from HVA channels by their activation at lower voltages, faster inactivation, slower deactivation, and smaller conductance of Ba2+. The Cav3 subtypes can be differentiated by their kinetics and sensitivity to block by Ni2+. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive description of T-type currents, their distribution, regulation, pharmacology, and cloning.

Pharmacological isolation of the synaptic and nonsynaptic components of the GABA-mediated biphasic response in rat CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells

High-frequency stimulation (HFS) applied to stratum radiatum of a rat hippocampal slice in the presence of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists evokes a biphasic GABA(A) receptor-dependent response in CA1 pyramidal neurons, with a brief hyperpolarizing IPSP (hIPSP) followed by a long-lasting depolarization. We show now that it is possible to pharmacologically separate the hIPSP and late depolarization from one another. In neurons intracellularly perfused for 1-2 hr with F(-) as the major anion and no ATP, the hIPSP (and the corresponding current, hIPSC) evoked by HFS was blocked, whereas neither the late depolarization nor its underlying current was attenuated. In contrast, internal perfusion with a high concentration (5 mM) of the impermeant lidocaine derivative QX-314 selectively abolished the depolarizing component of the biphasic response and also strongly reduced depolarizations evoked by extracellular microinjection of K(+). Bath application of quinine (0. 2-0.5 mM) or quinidine (0.1 mM) resulted in a pronounced inhibition of the HFS-induced extracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)](o)) transient but not of the bicarbonate-dependent alkaline shift in extracellular pH. The attenuation of the [K(+)](o) transient was closely paralleled by a suppression of the HFS-evoked depolarization but not of the hIPSP. Quini(di)ne did not affect depolarizations induced by exogenous K(+) either. These data provide direct pharmacological evidence for the view that the HFS-induced biphasic response of the pyramidal neuron is composed of mechanistically distinct components: a direct GABA(A) receptor-mediated phase, which is followed by a slow, nonsynaptic [K(+)](o)-mediated depolarization. The bicarbonate-dependent, activity-induced [K(+)](o) transient can be blocked by quini(di)ne, whereas its depolarizing action in the pyramidal neuron is inhibited by internal QX-314. The presence of fundamentally distinct components in GABA(A) receptor-mediated actions evoked by HFS calls for further investigations of their functional role(s) in standard experimental maneuvers, such as those used in studies of synaptic plasticity and induction of gamma oscillations.

Pharmacological isolation of the synaptic and nonsynaptic components of the GABA-mediated biphasic response in rat CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells

High-frequency stimulation (HFS) applied to stratum radiatum of a rat hippocampal slice in the presence of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists evokes a biphasic GABA(A) receptor-dependent response in CA1 pyramidal neurons, with a brief hyperpolarizing IPSP (hIPSP) followed by a long-lasting depolarization. We show now that it is possible to pharmacologically separate the hIPSP and late depolarization from one another. In neurons intracellularly perfused for 1-2 hr with F(-) as the major anion and no ATP, the hIPSP (and the corresponding current, hIPSC) evoked by HFS was blocked, whereas neither the late depolarization nor its underlying current was attenuated. In contrast, internal perfusion with a high concentration (5 mM) of the impermeant lidocaine derivative QX-314 selectively abolished the depolarizing component of the biphasic response and also strongly reduced depolarizations evoked by extracellular microinjection of K(+). Bath application of quinine (0. 2-0.5 mM) or quinidine (0.1 mM) resulted in a pronounced inhibition of the HFS-induced extracellular K(+) concentration ([K(+)](o)) transient but not of the bicarbonate-dependent alkaline shift in extracellular pH. The attenuation of the [K(+)](o) transient was closely paralleled by a suppression of the HFS-evoked depolarization but not of the hIPSP. Quini(di)ne did not affect depolarizations induced by exogenous K(+) either. These data provide direct pharmacological evidence for the view that the HFS-induced biphasic response of the pyramidal neuron is composed of mechanistically distinct components: a direct GABA(A) receptor-mediated phase, which is followed by a slow, nonsynaptic [K(+)](o)-mediated depolarization. The bicarbonate-dependent, activity-induced [K(+)](o) transient can be blocked by quini(di)ne, whereas its depolarizing action in the pyramidal neuron is inhibited by internal QX-314. The presence of fundamentally distinct components in GABA(A) receptor-mediated actions evoked by HFS calls for further investigations of their functional role(s) in standard experimental maneuvers, such as those used in studies of synaptic plasticity and induction of gamma oscillations.

Development of resting membrane potentials in differentiating murine neuroblastoma cells (N1E-115) evaluated by flow cytometry

With the aid of a voltage-sensitive oxonol dye, flow cytometry was used to measure relative changes in resting membrane potential (V(m)) and forward angle light scatter (FALS) profiles of a differentiating/differentiated murine neuroblastoma cell line (N1E-115). Electrophysiological differentiation was characterized by V(m) establishment. The (V(m))-time profile was found to be seed cell concentration-dependent for cell densities of less than 2 × 10(4) cells/cm(2). At higher initial cell densities, under differentiating culture conditions, V(m) development commenced on day 2 and reached a steady-state on day 12. The relative distribution of differentiated cells between low and high FALS has been proposed as a potential culture electrophysiological differentiation state index. These experiments offer a general methodology to characterize cultured excitable cells of nervous system origin, with respect to electrophysiological differentiation. This information is valuable in studies employing neuroblastoma cells as in vitro screening models for safety/hazard evaluation and/or risk assessment of therapeutical and industrial chemicals under development.

Pharmacological analysis of heartbeat in Drosophila

Analysis of the mechanisms underlying cardiac excitability can be facilitated greatly by mutations that disrupt ion channels and receptors involved in this excitability. With an extensive repertoire of such mutations, Drosophila provides the best available genetic model for these studies. However, the use of Drosophila for this purpose has been severely handicapped by lack of a suitable preparation of heart and a complete lack of knowledge about the ionic currents that underlie its excitability. We describe a simple preparation to measure heartbeat in Drosophila. This preparation was used to ask if heartbeat in Drosophila is myogenic in origin, and to determine the types of ion channels involved in influencing the heart rate. Tetrodotoxin, even at a high concentration of 40 microM, did not affect heart rate, indicating that heartbeat may be myogenic in origin and that it may not be determined by Na+ channels. Heart rate was affected by PN200-110, verapamil, and diltiazem, which block vertebrate L-type Ca2+ channels. Thus, L-type channels, which contribute to the prolonged plateau of action potentials in vertebrate heart, may play a role in Drosophila cardiac excitability. It also suggests that Drosophila heart is subject to a similar intervention by organic Ca2+ channel blockers as the vertebrate heart. A role for K+ currents in the function of Drosophila heart was suggested by an effect of tetraethylammonium, which blocks all the four identified K+ currents in the larval body wall muscles, and quinidine, which blocks the delayed rectifier K+ current in these muscles. The preparation described here also provides an extremely simple method for identifying mutations that affect heart rate. Such mutations and pharmacological agents will be very useful for analyzing molecular components of cardiac excitability in Drosophila.

Phosphorylation- and voltage-dependent inhibition of neuronal calcium currents by activation of human D2(short) dopamine receptors

1. Activation of human D2(s) dopamine receptors with quinpirole (10 nM) inhibits omega-conotoxin GVIa-sensitive, high-threshold calcium currents when expressed in differentiated NG108-15 cells (55% inhibition at +10 mV). This inhibition was made irreversible following intracellular dialysis with the non-hydrolysable guanosine triphosphate analogue GTP-gamma-S (100 microM), and was prevented by pretreatment with pertussis toxin (1 microgram ml-1 for 24 h). 2. Stimulation of protein kinase C with the diacylglycerol analogue, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (100 microM), also attenuated the inhibition of the sustained calcium current but did not affect the receptor-mediated decrease in rate of current activation. Similarly, okadaic acid (100 nM), a protein phosphatase 1/2A inhibitor, selectively occluded the inhibition of the sustained current. 3. The depression of calcium currents by quinpirole (10 nM) was enhanced following intracellular dialysis with 100 microM cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP, 72.8 +/- 9.8% depression), but was not mimicked by the membrane permeant cyclic GMP analogue, Sp-8-bromoguanosine-3',5':cyclic monophosphorothioate (100 microM). 4. Inhibition of calcium currents was only partly attenuated by 100 ms depolarizing prepulses to +100 mV immediately preceding the test pulse. However, following occlusion of the sustained depression with okadaic acid (100 nM) the residual kinetic slowing was reversed in a voltage-dependent manner (P < 0.05). 5. Thus pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins liberated upon activation of human D2(short) dopamine receptors inhibited high-threshold calcium currents in two distinct ways. The decrease in rate of calcium current activation involved a voltage-dependent pathway, whereas the sustained inhibition of calcium current involved, in part, the voltage-resistant phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases and subsequent dephosphorylation by protein phosphatases 1/2A.

Transcriptional activity of domain A of the rat glucagon G3 element conferred by an islet-specific nuclear protein that also binds to similar pancreatic islet cell-specific enhancer sequences (PISCES)

A pancreatic islet cell-specific enhancer element in the rat glucagon gene, Glu-G3, contains two domains, one of which, domain A, has been shown to be necessary for Glu-G3 activity. In the present study, the functions of the isolated domain A of Glu-G3 were investigated by using transient reporter fusion gene expression and DNA binding assays. A single copy of domain A was transcriptionally inactive in glucagon-producing islet cell lines, whereas it did confer activity when combined with domain B, suggesting that Glu-G3 may be a bipartite element. Multiple copies of domain A did function independently as transcriptional enhancer in phenotypically distinct islet cell lines but not in several nonislet cell lines. Sequences (PISCES, pancreatic islet cell-specific enhancer sequences), similar to that of domain A of Glu-G3 and present in cell-specific control elements of the rat insulin I (Ins-E1) and rat somatostatin genes (SMS-UE), are shown to be required for transcriptional activity of these elements. In addition, a protein was detected in islet cell lines that bound to the PISCES motifs within Glu-G3, Ins-E1, and SMS-UE. These results support the view that cell-specific control elements of the glucagon, insulin, and somatostatin genes share a functional regulatory sequence, PISCES, and provide direct evidence for the existence of an islet-specific, PISCES-binding transcription factor or closely related proteins being involved in the coordinate expression of islet hormone genes.

Depression of high-threshold calcium currents by activation of human D2 (short) dopamine receptors expressed in differentiated NG108-15 cells

1. This study examined the regulation of calcium currents in differentiated NG108-15 cells that had been stably transfected with cDNA encoding the short isoform of the human D2 dopamine receptor. Whole cell calcium currents were recorded by nystatin-perforated patch clamp recording. 2. Transient low-threshold calcium currents elicited by depolarizations from -100 mV to -20 mV were reversibly depressed by NiCl2 (84 +/- 8% at 30 microM; n = 3) and by omega-agatoxin IVA (15 +/- 5%; 100 nM, n = 7). These currents were unaffected by hD2 receptor activation. 3. High-threshold calcium currents elicited by depolarizations from -80 mV to 0 mV were partly blocked by omega-conotoxin GVIA (67 +/- 6% at 100 nM, n = 4) and by the subsequent addition of the dihydropyridine, nisoldipine (94 +/- 3% at 1 microM). Consistent with the presence of at least two distinct types of high-threshold calcium channels, nisoldipine alone (38 +/- 15% at 1 microM, n = 6) did not preclude the inhibition caused by omega-conotoxin GVIA (69 +/- 13% at 100 nM, n = 4). The residual current was completely blocked by 100 microM CdCl2 (98.8 +/- 0.4%, n = 7). 4. In hD2-transfected cells, but not untransfected cells, high-threshold currents were depressed by quinpirole (30 +/- 4% at 100 nM; n = 15) with a pEC50 of 8.61 +/- 0.22 (n = 5), as well as by (-)-noradrenaline (28 +/- 5% at 1 microM, n = 9). Responses to both agonists were selectively antagonized by S-(-)sulpiride (100 nM) but not by the alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist, phentolamine (1O microM). The depression caused by (-)-noradrenaline was positively correlated with that of quinpirole for each cell(r2 = 0.91, slope = 0.99).5. hD2-receptor-mediated inhibition of high-threshold calcium currents was abolished by pretreatment of cells with omega-conotoxin GVIA (100 nM; n = 4). However, a component of the high-threshold current was reversibly depressed by omega-conotoxin GVIA (67% to 45% depression after 10 min wash). This current was also depressed by hD2 receptor activation (59 +/- 9% depression in 100 nM quinpirole, n = 3),and was completely blocked by nisoldipine (95 +/- 2% at 1 MicroM).6. These data demonstrate that activation of hD2(short) dopamine receptors can regulate both wconotoxinGVIA, and dihydropyridine-sensitive high-threshold calcium currents in neuroblastoma cells.Morever, the ability of human D2 dopamine receptors to regulate more than one type of calcium current supports the notion that these receptors have a diverse functional role in the central nervous system.

Voltage-clamp study of calcium currents during differentiation in the NCB-20 neuronal cell line

1. Calcium currents (ICa) were studied in voltage-clamped NCB-20 cells. In undifferentiated cells, voltage steps from hyperpolarized potentials (-80/-100 mV) essentially revealed transient ICa showing characteristics classically described for "T-type" channels. In about 50% of the cells, there was a residual current at the end of the step; no ICa was elicited from a holding potential of -50 mV. 2. In contrast, 100% of the cells differentiated with dibutyryl cyclic AMP (cAMP) displayed a residual current in addition to the transient one, and depolarizing steps from a holding potential of -50 mV induced a sustained current. In these cells, Bay K 8644 elicited both a negative shift in voltage dependence and a moderate increase of the sustained component. 3. Although these changes in Ca2+ channel physiology result from chemically induced differentiation, they might not be directly related to the concomitant morphologic differentiation. 4. In undifferentiated NCB-20 cells, T-type Ca2+ currents can be elicited in relative isolation.

Properties of the inactivating outward current in single smooth muscle cells isolated from the rat anococcygeus

The properties of the voltage- and time-dependent outward current in single smooth muscle cells isolated from the rat anococcygeus were studied. The outward current was activated by depolarizations to membrane potentials positive to -40 mV. Activation followed third order kinetics; at +20 mV, the time for the current to reach half its maximal amplitude was around 55 ms. The current inactivated with a time course that could best be described by a single exponential with a time constant around 1500 ms. The steady-state inactivation curve was voltage dependent over the range -110 to -30 mV, with a half-inactivation point of -67 mV. Recovery from inactivation followed an exponential time course with a time constant of around 770 ms at -90 mV. Deactivating tail current analysis revealed that a 10-fold change in the extracellular potassium ion concentration resulted in a 42 mV change in the reversal potential of the current. The current was blocked by 4-aminopyridine, tetraethylammonium, quinine and verapamil with IC50's--the concentrations producing 50% inhibition of the peak current--of 2 mM, 4 mM, 12 microM and 20 microM respectively. The current was not blocked by Toxin I (100 nM) or glibenclamide (10 microM). The current was still present in cells containing 5 mM EGTA; in these cells, replacing extracellular calcium with cadmium depressed the peak current by around 12%. This could be explained, at least in part, by a negative shift in the voltage dependence of inactivation.

Potassium channels from the plasma membrane of rye roots characterized following incorporation into planar lipid bilayers

Plasma membrane was purified from roots of rye (Secale cereale L. cv. Rheidol) by aqueous-polymer two-phase partitioning and incorporated into planar bilayers of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine by stirring with an osmotic gradient. Since plasmamembrane vesicles were predominantly oriented with their cytoplasmic face internal, when fused to the bilayer the cytoplasmic side of channels faced the trans chamber. In asymmetrical (cis:trans) 280∶100 mM KCl, five distinct K(+)-selective channels were detected with mean chord-conductances (between +30 and -30 mV; volyages cis with respect to trans) of 500 pS, 194 pS, 49 pS, 21 pS and 10 pS. The frequencies of incorporation of these K(+) channels into the bilayer were 48, 21, 50, 10 and 9%, in the order given (data from 159 bilayers). Only the 49 pS channel was characterized further in this paper, but the remarkable diversity of K(+) channels found in this preparation is noteworthy and is the subject of further study. In symmetrical KCl solutions, the 49 pS channel exhibited non-ohmic unitary-current/voltage relationships. The chord-conductance (between +30 and-30 mV) of the channel in symmetrical 100 mM KCl was 39 pS. The unitary current was greater at positive voltages than at corresponding negative voltages and showed considerable rectification with increasing positive and negative voltages. This would represent 'inward rectification' in vivo. Gating of the channel was not voltage-dependent and the channel was open for approx. 80% of the time. Presumably this is not the case in vivo, but we are at present uncertain of the in vivo controls of channel gating. The distribution of channel-open times could be approximated by the sum of two negative exponential functions, yielding two open-state time constants (τo, the apparent mean lifetime of the channel-open state) of 1.0 ms and 5.7 s. The distribution of channel-closed times was best approximated by the sum of three negative exponential functions, yielding time constants (τc, the apparent mean lifetime of the channel-closed state) of 1.1 ms, 51 ms and 11 s. This indicates at least a five-state kinetic model for the activity of the channel. The selectivity of the 49 pS channel, determined from both reversal potentials under biionic conditions (100 mM KCl∶100 mM cation chloride) and from conductance measurements in symmetrical 100 mM cation chloride, was Rb(+)≥ K(+) > Cs(+) > Na(+) > Li(+) > tetraethylammonium (TEA(+)). The 49 pS channel was reversibly inhibited by quinine (1 mM) but TEA(+) (10 mM), Ba(2+) (3 mM), Ca(2+) (1 mM), 4-aminopyridine (1 mM) and charybdotoxin (3 μM) were without effect when applied to the extracellular (cis) surface.

The effect of permeant ions on single calcium channel activation in mouse neuroblastoma cells: ion-channel interaction

1. Single low-threshold inactivating (LTI or T-type) Ca2+ channels of undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115) were investigated using the patch-clamp technique. 2. Single-channel conductance, gi, for Ca2+, Sr2+ or Ba2+ as a permeant cation was similar (7.2 pS). Mean channel open time, tau op, was also practically independent of the divalent ion species; it decreased from 0.7 to 0.3 ms between -40 and 0 mV. 3. Modification of the calcium channel selectivity by lowering the external Ca2+ concentration to 10(-8) M produced an increase in gi for Na+ and Li+ ions and a shift of potential-dependent characteristics in the hyperpolarizing direction. Voltage sensitivity and absolute values of tau op were also changed. These changes were dependent on both permeant monovalent ion type and concentration. 4. At high [Na+]o, tau op was almost potential independent (congruent to 0.3 ms). Decrease in [Na+]o and substitution of Li+ for Na+ increased tau op and the steepness of its potential dependency. 5. The divalent and monovalent cations that were tested had much smaller effect on the mean intraburst shut time, tau cl(f), which was nearly independent of membrane potential (congruent to 0.6 ms). By contrast, mean burst duration was strongly potential dependent and noticeably affected by permeant ion type. 6. All kinetic changes were analysed in terms of a four-state sequential model for channel activation. According to this model the channel enters the open state through three closed states. Transitions between closed states can be formally related to the transmembrane movement of two charged gating particles (m2 process). The interaction between ion flux and a sterical region of the Ca2+ channel selectivity filter may, depending on ion transfer rate and ionic radius, lead to a local increase of the dielectric constant, resulting in redistribution of the electric field and changes in potential dependency of tau op.

Quinidine-induced inhibition of the fast transient outward K+ current in rat melanotrophs

1. The effect of quinidine on the fast-activating, fast-inactivating potassium current (IK(f] in acutely dissociated melanotrophs of the adult rat pituitary was examined. Macroscopic currents were measured by use of the whole-cell configuration of the patch clamp technique. 2. Bath application of quinidine caused a dose-dependent reduction of the peak amplitude of IK(f). The Kd for blockade of IK(f) at 0 mV was estimated to be 41 +/- 5.6 microM. 3. Quinidine elicited a dose-dependent increase of the rate of the decay of IK(f) and this effect was enhanced by membrane depolarization. The possibility that this phenomenon reflects an open channel blocking reaction is discussed. 4. Quinidine also caused a 5 mV hyperpolarizing shift of the steady-state inactivation curve and increased the half-time for recovery from inactivation. Quinidine did not affect the onset of inactivation measured at -30 mV. 5. Internal quinidine did not appear substantially to affect either the peak amplitude or kinetics of IK(f). 6. A study of some structural analogues showed that hydroquinidine and quinacrine had effects similar to those of quinidine. The effect of quinacrine on the amplitude and kinetics of IK(f) was also pH-dependent. Cinchonine, which bears a close structural resemblance to quinidine, was much less effective as a blocker of IK(f).

Selective coupling of different muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to neuronal calcium currents in DNA-transfected cells

Acetylcholine (ACh) can inhibit calcium currents (ICa) in nerve cells by activating muscarinic ACh receptors (mAChR). There are several different genetic subtypes of mAChR. It is not known which subtype(s) are responsible for ICa inhibition. To resolve this issue, we measured ICa inhibition by ACh with patch-clamp recording, by using Ba2+ as charge carrier, in clones of NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells transfected with DNA for mAChRI, II, III and IV. Control (non-transfected) cells showed a mean maximum inhibition of peak ICa of 12.8 +/- 1.8% (n = 36) at 1 mM ACh. No consistent increase in inhibition was detected in vector-transfected cells, or in cells transformed to express mAChRI or mAChRIII. In contrast, inhibition was significantly increased in clones transformed to express mAChRII or mAChRIV. Inhibition was not correlated with the number of muscarinic receptors as determined by 3H-quinuclidinyl benzilate binding. Inhibition in both control and transfected cells was prevented by pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTx). Inhibition persisted in the presence of extracellular or intracellular dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and hence is not because of inhibition of adenylate cyclase. We conclude that the inhibition of neuronal ICa is mediated preferentially by mAChRII and mAChRIV, via a PTx-sensitive GTP-binding protein.

A transient outward current in NG108-15 neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells

Outward currents were recorded from voltage-clamped NG108-15 mouse neuroblastoma X rat glioma hybrid cells, differentiated with prostaglandin E1. Depolarising voltage steps from -70 mV, evoked a transient outward current from a threshold of -30 mV. The outward current showed complete inactivation at potentials positive to -10 mV. Inactivation was removed by hyperpolarisation with half-inactivation at -53 mV. The time course of the inactivation could be best fitted by two exponentials with mean time constants of 280 ms and 1.6 s at +80 mV. Tail current measurements showed a shift in the reversal potential with changes in external K+ concentration, consistent with K+ as the current-carrying ion. The outward current amplitude was reversibly reduced by 4-aminopyridine, and the time course of inactivation modified. In the presence of other K+ channel blockers (tetraethylammonium, barium and tetrahydroaminoacridine) the amplitude of the outward current was also reversibly reduced, but with a negligible effect on its time course. The current was unaffected by dendrotoxin, d-tubocurarine, apamin, Cd2+ and Ni2+, and by replacing external Ca2+ with Co2+ or Mg2+. In current clamp, action potential duration was greatly increased by 4-aminopyridine. The findings show that the NG108-15 cell line displays a transient outward current that resembles IK(A) but with a higher than usual threshold and relatively slow inactivation, and that this current is likely to be important for action potential repolarisation.

Effect of quinine on the release of catecholamines from bovine cultured chromaffin cells

1. The effects of quinine on catecholamine release from cultured bovine chromaffin cells were studied. 2. Quinine (25-400 microM) produced a dose-related inhibition of catecholamine release in response to depolarizing concentrations (12.5-50 mM) of K+. 3. The inhibition of the secretory response to high K+ produced by quinine decreased with the increase in the extracellular concentration of Ca2+. 4. Stimulation of cultured chromaffin cells with 50 mM K+ produced a significant increase in Ca2+ influx. In the presence of 100 microM quinine a 54% inhibition of the K(+)-induced Ca2+ influx was observed. 5. Quinine treatment of chromaffin cell cultures produced a small but significant decrease in membrane resting potential and a less pronounced depolarization in response to 50 mM K+. 6. The results suggest that the inhibition of the K(+)-evoked release of catecholamines produced by quinine is at least partly due to a decrease in Ca2+ influx. Ca2+ influx is lower because quinine reduces the sensitivity of the membrane potential to changes in extracellular K+ but direct effects of quinine on Ca2+ channels cannot be excluded.

Activators and inactivators of calcium channels: effects in the central nervous system

The interactions of calcium antagonists or channel activators with the different classes of calcium channel are reviewed with particular emphasis on interactions with neuronal tissue; reasons for the failure of calcium antagonists to inhibit neurotransmitter release under normal circumstances are outlined. Calcium antagonists may be protective in several pathological situations and the possibilities of protection against ischaemic damage in the central nervous system are evaluated.

Calcium channels in solitary retinal ganglion cells from post-natal rat

1. Calcium currents from identified, post-natal retinal ganglion cell neurones from rat were studied with whole-cell and single-channel patch-clamp techniques. Na+ and K+ currents were suppressed with pharmacological agents, allowing isolation of current carried by either 10 mM-Ca2+ or Ba2- during whole-cell recordings. For cell-attached patch recordings, the recording pipette contained 96-110 mM-BaCl2 while the bath solution consisted of isotonic potassium aspartate in order to zero the neuronal membrane potential. 2. A transient component, present in approximately one-third of the whole-cell recordings resembles closely the T-type calcium current observed previously in other tissues. This component activates at low voltages (-40 to -50 mV from holding potentials negative to -80 mV), inactivates with a time constant of 10-30 ms at 35 degrees C, and is carried equally well by Ba2+ or Ca2+. In single-channel recordings small (8 pS) channels are observed whose aggregate microscopic kinetics correspond well to the macroscopic current obtained during whole-cell measurements. 3. During whole-cell recordings, a more prolonged component activates in all retinal ganglion cells at -40 to -20 mV from a holding potential of -90 mV. This component is substantially larger when equimolar Ba2+ replaces Ca2+ as the charge carrier, and is sensitive to the dihydropyridine agonist Bay K8644 (5 microM) and antagonists nifedipine (1-10 microM) and nimodipine (1-10 microM). Thus, the dihydropyridine pharmacology of this prolonged component resembles that of the L-type calcium current found in dorsal root ganglion neurones and in heart cells. Also reminiscent of the L-current, the prolonged component in this preparation is less inactivated at depolarized holding potentials (-60 to -40 mV) than the transient component. In cell-attached recordings, large (20 pS) channels are observed with activation properties similar to those of the prolonged portion of the whole-cell current. 4. omega-Conotoxin fraction GVIA (omega-CgTX VIA), a peptide from the venom of the snail Conus geographus, produces a readily reversible blockade of all components of the calcium current in these central mammalian neurones. This finding is in contrast to that of other preparations in which this toxin is responsible for an ephemeral block of T-current but a long-lasting block of other components of calcium current. 5. In summary, at least two components of calcium current with discrete underlying unitary events are present in post-natal retinal ganglion cells from rat. One component closely resembles the T or transient current observed in other cell types.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effects of alaproclate, potassium channel blockers, and lidocaine on the release of 3H-acetylcholine from the guinea-pig ileum myenteric plexus

The guinea-pig ileum longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus preparation, preincubated with 3H-choline or 3H-noradrenaline, was mounted in an organ bath and superfused with Tyrode's solution. Alaproclate (2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl 2-aminopropanoate) (0.01-0.5 mmol/l) reduced (IC50 = 0.1 mmol/l) and at about 0.5 mmol/l completely blocked the electrically evoked 3H-acetylcholine secretion. The depressing effect of alaproclate (0.2 mmol/l) was not counteracted by atropine (0.01, 1 or 10 mumol/l), hexamethonium (0.1 mmol/l), phentolamine (1 mumol/l) yohimbine (1 mumol/l), haloperidol (1 mumol/l), 8-phenyltheophylline (10 mumol/l), cyproheptadine (1 mumol/l), metitepine (1 mumol/l), bicuculline (10 mumol/l), picrotoxinin (0.1 mmol/l), forskolin (25 mumol/l), 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (5 mmol/l), nifedipine (1 mumol/l), verapamil (1 mumol/l), dilitiazem (1 mumol/l), high calcium (6 mmol/l), high potassium (10 or 15 mmol/l), tetraethylammonium (2 mmol/l), 4-aminopyridine (0.5 mmol/l), apamin (0.5 mumol/l), barium (0.5 mmol/l) or quinine (0.1 mmol/l). Among the potassium channel blockers tested only quinine (at 0.5 or 1 mmol/l), in the same manner as lidocaine, reduced the evoked secretion of 3H-acetylcholine. The results are in agreement with the hypothesis that the effect of alaproclate on the evoked 3H-acetylcholine secretion is not mediated by a neurotransmitter receptor, or a potassium channel sensitive to tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, apamin, or barium or quinine, but is due to a local anaesthetic effect. In contrast to the evoked secretion, the spontaneous release of 3H-acetylcholine was enhanced by high concentrations of alaproclate (0.4-1 mmol/l). The mechanism underlying the effect of alaproclate on the spontaneous release remains to be established. Alaproclate (0.25 or 0.5 mmol/l) also enhanced the spontaneous release and reduced the electrically evoked 3H-noradrenaline secretion.

Cultured melanotrophs of the adult rat pituitary possess a voltage-activated fast transient outward current

1. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were made from cultured melanotrophs obtained from adult rats and maintained in vitro using conventional cell culture procedures. 2. The outward current recorded in the presence of Na+ and Ca2+ channel blockers was normally comprised of two components: a slowly activating, slowly inactivating current (IK(s] and a fast transient current (IK(f]. The selective blockade of IK(s) by 20 mM-tetraethylammonium (TEA+) allowed the properties of IK(f) to be analysed in isolation. 3. The activation threshold for IK(f) was normally between -20 and -10 mV and the current-voltage relationship was linear. At positive potentials the decay of IK(f) was well fitted by a single exponential having a time constant of 20-35 ms. At -70 mV recovery from inactivation was best described by a single-exponential function with a time constant of 20-40 ms. IK(f) was fully activatable at -60 mV and was fully inactivated at -10 mV; the half-inactivation potential was approximately -25 mV. 4. Since IK(f) was reduced by raising the external concentration of K+, was blocked by Ba2+ and Cs+, and persisted in Ca2+-free medium it is attributed to a voltage-activated K+ conductance. The amplitude of IK(f) was unaffected either by 5 mM-4-aminopyridine (4-AP) or 50 microM-quinidine. 5. The electrical properties of IK(f) suggest that by affecting the amplitude and/or duration of the action potential IK(f) may modulate Ca2+ influx and consequently hormone release.

Development of ion channels and neurofilaments during neuronal differentiation of mouse embryonal carcinoma cell lines

1. an embryonal carcinoma cell line, PCC4-Aza1-ECA2, was induced to differentiate to neurones by two different procedures: an addition of retinoic acid to the culture medium or a reduction of serum concentration. The changes in membrane currents during differentiation were studied by the whole-cell variation of the patch-clamp technique and the change in neurofilament expression was studied immunohistochemically. 2. Stem cells showed the outward K+ current which inactivated slightly, but no inward currents were observed. These cells did not express neurofilament. 3. Three days after an addition of 10(-7) M-retinoic acid, neurofilament-positive round cells without processes began to appear. The inward currents observed in these cells were the Na+ current and fast-inactivating Ca2+-channel current. Four days after an addition of 10(-7) M-retinoic acid, the cells began to extend processes and showed an intense neurofilament expression. The inward currents were the Na+ current and slow-inactivating Ca2+-channel current, while the fast-inactivating Ca2+-channel current observed previously had almost disappeared. The amplitude of the outward K+ current was larger than that in the stem cell and it did not show clear inactivation. 4. By reducing the serum concentration in the medium from 10 to 0.1%, cells with processes were observed after 6 days. They were neurofilament-positive and had the Na+ current, both fast- and slow-inactivating Ca2+-channel currents, and the outward K+ current which inactivated slightly. 5. The properties of these ionic currents observed in induced neurones were studied. The Na+ current was blocked by 0.1 microM-tetrodotoxin at any stage. The Na+ current was evoked by a depolarization pulse to a level above -40 mV with a maximum amplitude at around -10 mV. The fast-inactivating Ca2+-channel current was evoked by a depolarization to a level above -50 mV with a maximum amplitude at around -15 mV. It was resistant to 50 microM-Cd2+. The slow-inactivating Ca2+-channel current was evoked by a depolarization pulse to a level above -30 mV with a maximum amplitude at around +5 mV. It was blocked by 50 microM-Cd2+. It showed slight inactivation, which was not voltage-dependent but current-dependent. It was enhanced by 1 microM-Bay K 8644. The outward K+ current was blocked by replacing intracellular K+ with Cs+. 6. Another embryonal carcinoma cell line, P19, was induced to differentiate to neurons by adding 10(-6) M-retinoic acid to the medium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Gating and permeation properties of two types of calcium channels in neuroblastoma cells

The gating and permeation properties of two types of calcium channels were studied in the neuroblastoma cell line N1E-115. Calcium channel currents as carried by Ba2+ (50 mM) were recorded using the whole-cell variation of the patch electrode voltage-clamp technique. The two types of calcium channels showed similar membrane potential dependence with respect to the steady-state activation and inactivation gating properties. However, the properties of the long-lasting type II channels were shifted approximately 30 mV in the depolarizing direction compared with those of the transient type I channels. Activation of type I channels developed with a sigmoidal time course which was described by m2 kinetics, whereas the activation of type II channels was described by a single exponential function. Tail current upon repolarization followed an exponential decay in either type of calcium channels. In comparison to type I channels, the activation process of type II channels was shifted approximately 30 mV in the positive direction, while the deactivation process showed a 60 mV shift in the positive direction. The rate constants of activation obtained from the activation and deactivation processes indicated that under comparable membrane potential conditions, type II channels close 2.4 times faster than type I channels upon repolarization. When external 50 mM Ba2+ was replaced with Ca2+ or Sr2+ on the equimolar basis, the amplitudes of transient and long-lasting currents were altered without a significant change in their time courses. The ion permeability ratios determined from the maximum amplitude of the inward current were as follows: Ba2+ (1.0) = Sr2+ (1.0) greater than Ca2+ (0.7) for type I channels, and Ba2+ (1.0) greater than Sr2+ (0.7) greater than Ca2+ (0.3) for type II channels. Replacement of Ba2+ with Ca2+ caused a 10-12 mV positive shift in the current-voltage relation for type II channels. However, the shift for type I channels was much less. This suggests that negative surface charges are present around type II channels. After correction for the surface charge effect on the ion permeation, there was no significant difference between the permeability ratios of these cations for the two channel types. It was concluded that the two types of calcium channels have many common properties in their gating and permeation mechanisms despite their differential voltage sensitivity and ion selectivity.

Potassium Channels in Motor Cells of Samanea saman: A Patch-Clamp Study

Leaflet movements in Samanea saman are driven by the shrinking and swelling of cells in opposing (extensor and flexor) regions of the motor organ (pulvinus). Changes in cell volume, in turn, depend upon large changes in motor cell content of K(+), Cl(-) and other ions. We performed patch-clamp experiments on extensor and flexor protoplasts, to determine whether their plasma membranes contain channels capable of carrying the large K(+) currents that flow during leaflet movement. Recordings in the "whole-cell" mode reveal depolarization-activated K(+) currents in extensor and flexor cells that increase slowly (t((1/2)) = ca. 2 seconds) and remain active for minutes. Recordings from excised patches reveal a single channel conductance of ca. 20 picosiemens in both cell types. The magnitude of the K(+) currents is adequate to account quantitatively for K(+) loss, previously measured in vivo during cell shrinkage. The K(+) channel blockers tetraethylammonium (5 millimolar) or quinine (1 millimolar) blocked channel opening and decreased light- and dark-promoted movements of excised leaflets. These results provide evidence for the role of potassium channels in leaflet movement.

Characteristics of [3H]nimodipine binding to sarcolemmal membranes from rat vas deferens and its regulation by guanine nucleotide

The binding properties of a 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium entry blocker, [3H]nimodipine, to a microsomal fraction from rat vas deferens was characterized. The specific binding was saturable, rapid and reversible. Scatchard analysis of the binding revealed a single binding site, and the dissociation constant and the maximum number of binding sites were 0.31 +/- 0.02 nM and 97.0 +/- 7.19 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Both the Kd value obtained from the kinetic study and the IC50 value from relaxation of the K+-depolarized organ were approximately 0.4 nM, indicating that the binding site is closely related to the functional Ca2+ channel. The specific [3H]nimodipine binding was displaced by DHP derivatives at low concentration and by verapamil at high concentration, but diltiazem had no effect on the binding. Calcium chelating agents decreased the [3H]nimodipine binding which was restored by adding Ca2+. 5'-Guanylylimidodiphosphate caused a rightward shift of the displacement curve for Bay K 8644 but not for nimodipine, suggesting the involvement of guanine nucleotide binding protein in the signal transduction between the DHP binding site and the Ca2+ channel.

Fast-deactivating calcium channels in chick sensory neurons

Whole-cell Ca and Ba currents were studied in chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells kept 6-10 in culture. Voltage steps with a 15-microseconds rise time were imposed on the membrane using an improved patch-clamp circuit. Changes in membrane current could be measured 30 microseconds after the initiation of the test pulse. Currents through Ca channels were recorded under conditions that eliminate Na and K currents. Tail currents, associated with Ca channel closing, decayed in two distinct phases that were very well fitted by the sum of two exponentials. The time constants tau f and tau s were near 160 microseconds and 1.5 ms at -80 mV, 20 degrees C. The tail current components, called FD and SD (fast-deactivating and slowly deactivating), are Ca channel currents. They were greatly reduced when Mg2+ replaced all other divalent cations in the bath. The SD component inactivated almost completely as the test pulse duration was increased to 100 ms. It was suppressed when the cell was held at membrane potentials positive to -50 mV and was blocked by 100-200 microM Ni2+. This behavior indicates that the SD component was due to the closing of the low-voltage-activated (LVA) Ca channels previously described in this preparation. The FD component was fully activated with 10-ms test pulses to +20 mV at 20 degrees C, and inactivated to approximately 30% during 500-ms test pulses. It was reduced in amplitude by holding at -40 mV, but was only slightly reduced by micromolar concentrations of Ni2+. Replacement of Ca2+ with Ba2+ increased the FD tail current amplitudes by a factor of approximately 1.5. The deactivation kinetics did not change (a) as channels inactivated during progressively longer pulses or (b) when the degree of activation was varied. Further, tau f was affected neither by changing the holding potential nor by varying the test pulse amplitude. Lowering the temperature from 20 to 10 degrees C decreased tau f by a factor of 2.5. In all cases, the FD component was very well fitted by a single exponential. There was no indication of an additional tail component of significant size. Our findings indicate that the FD component is due to closing of a single class of Ca channels that coexist with the LVA Ca channel type in chick DRG neurons.