title: Dependence of Na+ pump current on external monovalent cations and membrane potential in rabbit cardiac Purkinje cells.
abstract: 1. The effect of membrane potential and various extracellular monovalent cations on the Na+ pump current (Ip) was studied on isolated, single Purkinje cells of the rabbit heart by means of whole-cell recording. 2. Ip was identified as current activated by external K+ or its congeners NH4+ and Tl+. The current was blocked by dihydroouabain (1-5 x 10(-4) M) over the whole range of membrane potentials tested. 3. In Na(+)-containing solution half-maximum Ip activation (K0.5) occurred at 0.4 mM-Tl+, 1.9 mM-K+ and 5.7 mM-NH4+ (holding potential, -20 mV). 4. The pump current (Ip)-voltage (V) relationship of the cells in Na(+)-containing media with K+ or its congeners at the tested concentrations greater than K0.5 displayed a steep positive slope at negative membrane potentials between -120 and -20 mV. Little voltage dependence of Ip was observed at more positive potentials up to +40 mV. At even more positive potentials Ip measured at 2 and 5.4 mM-K+ decreased. 5. Lowering the concentration of K+ or its congeners below the K0.5 value in Na(+)-containing solution induced a region of negative slope of the Ip-V curve at membrane potentials positive to -20 mV. 6. The shape of the Ip-V relationship remained unchanged when the K+ concentration (5.4 mM) of the Na(+)-containing medium was replaced by NH4+ or Tl+ concentrations of similar potency to activate Ip (20 mM-NH4+ or 2 mM-Tl+). 7. In Na(+)-free, choline-containing solution half-maximum Ip activation occurred at 0.13 mM-K+ (holding potential, -20 mV). 8. At negative membrane potentials the positive slope of the Ip-V curve was flatter in Na(+)-free than in Na(+)-containing media. A reduced voltage dependence of Ip persisted, regardless of whether choline ions or Li+ were used as a Na+ substitute. 9. Lowering the K+ concentration of the Na(+)-free, choline-containing solution to 0.05 mM evoked an extended region of negative slope in the Ip-V relationship at membrane potentials between -40 and +60 mV. 10. It is concluded that the apparent affinity of the Na(+)-K+ pump towards K+ in cardiac Purkinje cells depends on both the membrane potential and the extracellular Na+ concentration. 11. The region of negative slope of the Ip-V curve observed in cells which were superfused with media containing low concentrations of K+ or its congeners strongly suggests the existence of at least two voltage-sensitive steps in the cardiac Na(+)-K+ pump cycle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Catholic University of Leuven, Kortrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Bielen
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Glitsch
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verdonck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002414:Cations, Monovalent; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008094:Lithium / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000502:physiology; D011690:Purkinje Fibers / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012964:Sodium / Q000502:physiology; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002414:Cations, Monovalent; D008094:Lithium; D012964:Sodium; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D011188:Potassium