title: Calcium-dependent potassium currents in neurons from cat sensorimotor cortex.
abstract: 1. Ca(2+)-dependent K+ currents were studied in large pyramidal neurons (Betz cells) from layer V of cat sensorimotor cortex by use of an in vitro brain slice and single microelectrode voltage clamp. The Ca(2+)-dependent outward current was taken as the difference current obtained before and after blockade of Ca2+ influx. During step depolarizations in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), this current exhibited a fast onset of variable amplitude and a prominent slowly developing component. 2. The Ca(2+)-dependent outward current first appeared when membrane potential was stepped positive to -40 mV. Downsteps from a holding potential of -40 mV revealed little or no time-, voltage-, or Ca(2+)-dependent current. When membrane potential was stepped positive to -40 mV, a prolonged Ca(2+)-dependent outward tail current followed repolarization. The decay of this tail current at -40 mV was best described by a single exponential function having a time constant of 275 +/- 75 (SD) ms. The tail current reversed at 96 +/- 5 mV in 3 mM extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]o) and at more positive potentials when [K+]o was raised, suggesting that it was carried predominantly by K+. 3. The Ca(2+)-dependent K+ current consisted of two pharmacologically separable components. The slowly developing current was insensitive to 1 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA), but a substantial portion was reduced by 100 nM apamin. Most of the remaining current was blocked by the addition of isoproterenol (20-50 microM) or muscarine (10-20 microM). 4. The time courses of the apamin- and transmitter-sensitive components were similar when activated by step depolarizations in voltage clamp, but they were quite different when activated by a train of action potentials. Applying the voltage clamp at the end of a train of 90 spikes (evoked at 100-200 Hz) resulted in an Ca(2+)-dependent K+ current with a prominent rapidly decaying portion (time constant approximately 50 ms at -64 mV) and a smaller slowly decaying portion (time constant approximately 500 ms at -64 mV). The rapidly decaying portion was blocked by apamin (50-200 nM), and the slowly decaying portion was blocked by isoproterenol (20-50 microM). 5. When recorded with microelectrodes containing 2 mM dimethyl-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (dimethyl-BAPTA), which causes prolonged afterhyperpolarizations, the Ca(2+)-dependent K+ current evoked by step depolarizations had an extremely slow onset and decay. The current recorded after a train of evoked spikes had a similar slow decay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Schwindt
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Spain
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Crill
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001030:Apamin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D002415:Cats; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011712:Pyramidal Tracts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D001030:Apamin; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D004533:Egtazic Acid; C058180:5,5'-dimethyl-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate; D007545:Isoproterenol; D002118:Calcium