title: Effects of mechanical stretch on membrane currents of single ventricular myocytes of guinea-pig heart.
abstract: A technique to record whole cell membrane current during stretching single cardiac myocytes was developed. Ventricular myocytes were dissociated by treating guinea-pig hearts with collagenase. One end of the cell was fixed either to a microglasstool tip or to a glass plate, while the other end was attached either to a microglasstool tip or to a suction pipette, which was mounted on a micromanipulator. A time-independent current showing a reversal potential of -15 +/- 4 mV (n = 7) was activated when the myocytes were stretched more than 20% of the length between two fixed point. The current gradually relaxed during the maintained stretch, and disappeared on releasing the stretch. We failed to detect any consistent change in either the L-type Ca2+ current or the inward rectifier K+ current. For comparison, current changes induced by inflating the cell using a hypo-osmotic solution were recorded. The inflation was not accompanied by any change in the time-independent current. Instead, the delayed rectifier K+ current was increased to 170 +/- 48% control by the 70% hypo-osmotic solution. Thus, the effect of mechanical stretch on the time-independent current is different from those of hypo-osmotic cell inflation. The stretch-induced time-independent current is compared with reported current changes induced by the intracellular microinjection of Ca2+.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mitsuiye
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016276:Ventricular Function
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium