Diffusion of nystatin in plasma membrane is inhibited by a glass-membrane seal.
In perforated patch recording, the pore former nystatin is incorporated into a cell-attached patch, to increase its conductance. The possibility of lateral diffusion of nystatin through the membrane and under the glass-membrane seal was examined by reversing the nystatin gradient. Namely, a cell-attached patch on a cell was examined while placing nystatin into the bath. The reversal potential and current-voltage relationship of single Ca2+ activated K+ channels in the patch were readily changed by varying the K+ concentration in the bath, showing that nystatin was active in the cell membrane outside of the patch. However, the patch itself did not become leaky. The absence of a conductance induced in the patch by the nystatin in the rest of the plasma membrane of the cell suggests that the lateral diffusion of nystatin is inhibited by the glass-membrane seal.
Horn
R
R
Neurosciences Department, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, New Jersey 07110.
D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004058:Diffusion; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D005898:Glass; D009761:Nystatin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism
D015221:Potassium Channels; D009761:Nystatin