title: Neomycin inhibits the calcium current of Paramecium.
abstract: The duration of high-K+ stimulated backward swimming is a commonly used bioassay for estimating the amplitude of the inward calcium current of Paramecium. Electrophysiological analysis confirmed that concentrations of neomycin which decreased the duration of stimulated backward swimming also reduced the isolated inward calcium current. Other polycations were also effective in this bioassay and their effectiveness was correlated with the number of their positive charges. Paramecium is therefore a convenient model system for studying the effects of compounds such as neomycin on calcium currents as well as their mechanisms of action.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009355:Neomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010247:Paramecium / Q000502:physiology*; D000198:Spectinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005839:Gentamicins; D007473:Ion Channels; D000198:Spectinomycin; D009355:Neomycin; D002118:Calcium