title: Low-threshold calcium current in isolated Purkinje cell bodies of rat cerebellum.
abstract: 1. The low- and high-threshold Ca2+ currents were observed in Purkinje cell bodies isolated from the cerebellum of newborn (2 wk old) and adult (8 wk old) rats under whole-cell clamp. A transient Ca2+ current (low-threshold or "T-type" ICa) was elicited by depolarizing step pulses to -60 mV or more positive potentials from a holding potential (VH) of -100 mV. In cells dissociated from newborn rats, a long-lasting Ca2+ current (high-threshold or "L-type" ICa) was also elicited by depolarizing command pulses beyond -30 mV. 2. The low-threshold ICa was resistant to the "washout" effect during the internal perfusion, whereas the high-threshold ICa faded gradually with time during the continuous internal perfusion. 3. In the current-voltage (I-V) relationship, the low-threshold ICa had a threshold potential around -60 mV and reached the maximum inward current around -20 mV. The activation and inactivation kinetics of the current depended on membrane potential: for a test-potential change from -60 to +40 mV, the time to peak of the current (activation) decreased from 31.9 to 5.0 ms, and the time constant of current decay (inactivation) decreased from 78.5 to 22.9 ms. 4. Steady-state inactivation of low-threshold ICa was membrane-potential dependent, and the inactivation of the 50% level was -79 mV. Recovery time constant from steady-state inactivation varied depending on the membrane potential. The time constants were 3.3 and 2.5 s at VHs of -100 and -120 mV, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakamori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akaike
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D009529:Nicardipine; D002118:Calcium