ISSN:
1540-8167
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Cesium Abolishes Barium-Induced PM Current. Introduction: The ability of cesium to block barium-induced diastolic depolarization (“Ba-DD”) and pacemaker current was tested in isolated ventricular myocytes. Because Ba-DD is due to decreasing k conductance and there is no If at the resting potential, this approach permits verification of whether Cs+ is a specific blocker of I, or if it instead also blocks a K+ pacemaker current. Methods and Results: Guinea pig isolated ventricular myocytes were studied by a discontinuous, single electrode, voltage clamp method. During hyperpolarizing voltage clamp steps from -80 up to -140 mV in Tyrode's solution, the inward current increased as a function of voltage but did not change us a function of time (no If or K+ depletion). Cesium (4mM) reduced the current size during the hyperpolarizing steps hut did not induce or unmask time-dependent currents. Barium (0.05 to 0.1 mM) induced diastolic depolarization, and, in its presence, depolarizing voltage clamp steps were followed by an outward tail current that reversed at -92.0 ± 1.3 mV. Outward tail currents were larger at -50 mV than at the resting potential, and inward tail currents decayed more rapidly and to a larger extent during larger hyperpolarizing steps. In the presence of Ba2+, Cs+ (4 mM) had little effect on the steady-state current but markedly reduced or abolished undershoot, Ba-DD, and time-dependent tail currents at potentials both positive and negative to the resting potential. Cs+ had a smaller effect on the steady-state current-voltage (I-V) relation in the presence than in the absence of Ba2+, as part of the Ikl channels were already blocked by Ba2+ and the time-dependent changes induced by Ba2+ were not present. Both Ba2+ and Cs+ had little blocking effect on the steady-state current positive to the negative slope region of the I-V relation. Conclusion: In ventricular myocytes, Cs+ abolishes the Ba2+-induced pacemaker current by blocking the time-dependent change in K+ conductance, not by blocking If. Because Cs+ can also block a decaying K+ pacemaker current, the abolition of a pacemaker current by Cs+ in other cardiac tissues cannot be taken as unequivocal proof that the blocked current is If
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-8167.1994.tb01145.x
Permalink