Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Metal ion-induced permeability changes in cell membranes: A minireview

  • Published:
Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

1. The paper summarizes the effects of the metal ions Cu2+, Pb2+, Ag+, Hg2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ applied externally or internally to the surface membrane of different excitable cells.

2. Conductance changes induced by metal ions, and metal ion-activated current, are compared with respect to their ion and voltage dependence.

3. It is suggested that metal ion-induced effects can be realized through special structures of the cell membrane, the metal ion “receptors,” although other mechanisms, as, for example, competition for Ca-binding sites in the channel forming proteins, cannot be excluded.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chiarandini, D. J., Stefani, E., and Gerschenfeld, H. M. (1967). Inhibition of membrane permeability to chloride by copper in molluscan neurones.Nature 213:97–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dreifuss, J. J., Kelly, J. S., and Krenjevic, K. (1969). Effects of copper on cortical neurones.Brain Res. 13:607–611.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gorman, A. L. F., and Hermann, A. (1979). Internal effects of divalent cations on potassium permeability in molluscan neurones.J. Physiol. (Lond.) 296:393–410.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gyôri, J., Kiss, T., Scherbatko, A. D., Belan, P. V., Tepikin, A. V., Osipenko, O. N., and Salánki, J. (1991). Effect of Ag+ on membrane permeability of perfused Helix pomatia neurones.J. Physiol. (Lond.) 442:1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Habermann, E., and Richardt, G. (1986). Intracellular calcium binding proteins as targets for heavy metal ions.TIPS 7:298–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jungwirth, A., Rittler, M., Paulmichl, M., and Lang, F. (1991). Activation of cell membrane potassium conductance by mercury in cultured renal epithelioid (MDCK) cells.J. Cell. Physiol. 146:25–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiss, T., Gyôri, J., Osipenko, O. N., and Maginyan, S. V. (1991). Copper-induced nonselective permeability changes in intracellularly perfused snail neurons.J. Appl. Toxicol. 11:349–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinders, T., van Kleef, R. G. D. M., and Vijverberg, H. P. M. (1992a). Divalent cations activate small- (SK) and large-conductance (BK) channels in mouse neuroblastoma cells. Selective activation of SK channels by cadmium.Pflügers Arch. 422:217–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leinders, T., van Kleef, R. G. D. M., and Vijverberg, H. P. M. (1992b). Distinct metal ion binding sites on Ca2+-activated K+ channels in inside-out patches of human erythrocytes,Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1112:75–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miledi, R., Parker, I., and Woodward, R. M. (1989). Membrane currents elucidated by divalent cations in Xenopus oocytes.J. Physiol. (Lond.) 417:173–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Müller, T. H., Swandulla, T. H., and Lux, H. D. (1989). Activation of three types of membrane currents by various divalent cations in identified molluscan pacemaker neurons.J. Gen. Physiol. 94:997–1014.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oba, T., Aoki, T., Koshita, M., Nihonyanagi, K., and Yamaguchi, M. (1993). Muscle contraction and inward current induced by silver and effect of Ca2+ channel blockers.Am. J. Physiol. 264:C852-C856.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oortgiesen, M., van Kleef, R. G. D. M., and Vijverberg, H. P. M. (1990). Novel type of ion channel activated by Pb2+, Cd2+, and Al3+ in cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells.J. Membr. Biol. 113:261–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osipenko, O. N., and Kiss, T. (1991). Single-channel analysis of Pb2+ modified steady-state Na-conductance in snail neurons.Acta. Biochim. Biophys. Hung. 26:39–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osipenko, O. N., Gtôri, J., and Kiss, T. (1992). Lead ions close steady-state sodium channels in Helix neurons.Neuroscience 50:483–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Passow, H., Rothstein, A., and Clarkson, T. W. (1961). The general pharmacology of the heavy metals.Pharmacol. Rev. 13:185–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salánki, J., Osipenko, O. N., Kiss, T., and Gyôri, J. (1991). Effect of Cu2+ and Pb2+ on membrane excitability of snail neurons. InMolluscan Neurobiology (K. S. Kits, H. H. Boer, and J. Joosse, Eds.), North-Holland, Amsterdam/Oxford/New York, pp. 214–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shields, M., Grygorczyk, R., Fuhrmann, G. F., Schwarz, W., and Passow, H. (1985). Lead-induced activation and inhibition of potassium-selective channels in the human red blood cell.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 815:223–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weinreich, D., and Wonderlin, W. F. (1987). Copper activates a unique inward current in molluscan neurones.J. Physiol. (Lond.) 394:429–443.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Balaton Limnological Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Science, P.O.B. 35, H-8237, Tihany, Hungary

    Tibor Kiss

  2. A. A. Bogomoletz Institute of Physiology of the Ukranian Academy of Sciences, Kiev.

    Oleg Osipenko

Authors
  1. Tibor Kiss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Oleg Osipenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kiss, T., Osipenko, O. Metal ion-induced permeability changes in cell membranes: A minireview. Cell Mol Neurobiol 14, 781–789 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088684

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02088684

Key words

Search

Navigation