Pentobarbital promotes bursts of gamma-aminobutyric acid-activated single channel currents in cultured mouse central neurons.
The extracellular patch clamp method was used to study the influence of pentobarbital (PB) on membrane channels induced by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in cultured mouse spinal neurons. PB (200 microM) increased the probability of finding GABA-sensitive channels in the open state; it also increased the average frequency at which GABA-induced single channel currents occur, without decreasing the number of data sweeps which showed no single channel activity. These results indicate that PB potentiates GABA responses by promoting burst-like openings of the GABA-sensitive channel.
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D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004357:Drug Synergism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D007473:Ion Channels; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010424:Pentobarbital