title: Alkali cation permeability and caesium blockade of cromakalim-activated current in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes.
abstract: 1. The sensitivity of cromakalim-activated current (Icrom) to manipulations of extracellular cationic composition was examined in whole-cell voltage clamp recordings from freshly-dispersed, adult guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. In bathing media with different concentrations of K+ (1, 2.5, 5.4 and 12 mM) the Icrom reversal potential (Erev) varied in strict correspondance with the K+ equilibrium potential and inward Icrom amplitude was proportional to the external K+ concentration. 2. Replacement of 12mM K+ with 12mM Rb+ induced a slight positive shift of Erev indicating that PRb+/PK+ = 1.06. K+ replacement with 12mM Cs+ reduced or abolished inward Icrom and produced a negative shift of Erev by at least 50 mV; an upper limit of PCs+/PK+ was fixed at 0.18. 3. Addition of Rb+ (1-30 mM) to 2.5 mM K(+)-containing medium produced a concentration-dependent increase in inward Icrom and positive shift of Erev suggesting that K+ and Rb+ have similar permeabilities and conductivities and do not interfere with each other in the channel. 4. CS+ (0.01-30 mM), added to medium containing 12 mM Rb+, induced a potent, voltage-dependent inhibition of inwardly rectifying current (IK1; IC50 = 0.2-3 mM). Voltage-dependent inhibition of inward Icrom was observed only at considerably higher CS+ concentrations (IC50 = 4-30 mM). Extracellular Rb+ and CS+ did not substantially alter the amplitude of outward Icrom. 5. The results support the contention that the ATP-sensitive K+ channel is the primary target of cromakalim action in ventricular myocytes.
authors.affiliation: FONDAX, Groupe de Recherche Servier, Puteaux, France.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Randle
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Oliet
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Renaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism*; D002586:Cesium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019806:Cromakalim; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012413:Rubidium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001578:Benzopyrans; D002412:Cations; D007473:Ion Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011758:Pyrroles; D019806:Cromakalim; D002586:Cesium; D012413:Rubidium