title: Potassium current and the effect of cesium on this current during anomalous rectification of the egg cell membrane of a starfish.
abstract: The kinetics of the membrane current during the anomalous or inward-going rectification of the K current in the egg cell membrane of the starfish Mediaster aequalis were analyzed by voltage clamp. The rectification has instantaneous and time-dependent components. The time-dependent increase in the K conductance for the negative voltage pulse as well as the decrease in the conductance for the positive pulse follows first-order kinetics. The steady-state conductance increases as the membrane potential becomes more negative and reaches the saturation value at about -40 mV more negative than the K equilibrium potential, V(K). The entire K conductance can be expressed by g(K).n; g g(K) represents the component for the time-independent conductance which depends on V-V(K) and [K+]o, and n is a dimensionless number (1 is greater than or equal to n is greater than or equal to 0) and determined by two rate constants which depend only on V-V(K). Cs+ does not carry any significant current through the K channel but blocks the channel at low concentration in the external medium. The blocking effect increases as the membrane potential is made more negative and the potential-dependent blocking by the external Cs+ also has instantaneous and time-dependent components.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002586:Cesium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D010063:Ovum / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013215:Starfish
chemical_list: D002586:Cesium; D011188:Potassium