title: Recovery of the slow inward current from Ca2(+)-mediated and voltage-dependent inactivation in the rabbit sinoatrial node.
abstract: The process of recovery from inactivation of the slow inward current (isi) in the rabbit sinoatrial (S-A) node was evaluated by voltage clamp experiments using double microelectrode method. Double pulse experiments were carried out on preparations loaded with Cs+ using nystatin. The rate of the rapid isi inactivation depended on the amplitude of isi rather than the membrane potential. After a 50 ms depolarizing prepulse isi rapidly recovered from inactivation at -40 mV with a time constant of 84 +/- 25 ms, whereas after a longer prepulse, an additional slow recovery phase with a time constant of 1 to 2 s was observed. The amount of isi during the fast recovery phase following a 300 ms prepulse to -20 mV was smaller than that following a prepulse to +20 mV, as predicted by a Ca2(+)-mediated inactivation mechanism. Conversely, a prepulse to +20 mV caused a greater inactivation in the slow recovery phase, suggesting a voltage-dependent mechanism. The inactivation curve obtained during the fast recovery phase using 50 ms prepulses was U-shaped, indicating a predominant role of the Ca2(+)-mediated mechanism, whereas that obtained during the slow recovery phase resembled previously reported voltage-dependent steady state inactivation (f infinity) curve. These results indicate that the fast and slow phases of recovery represent the removal of Ca2(+)-mediated and voltage-dependent isi inactivation, respectively. The presence of Ca2(+)-mediated inactivation via steady state Ca2+ inflows was also suggested.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Institute, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Habuchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D002586:Cesium / Q000378:metabolism; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D004563:Electrochemistry; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009761:Nystatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D009761:Nystatin; D002586:Cesium; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D002118:Calcium