title: Three components of the calcium current in cultured glomerulosa cells from rat adrenal gland.
abstract: 1. Ca2+ channels were studied in cultured glomerulosa cells from the rat adrenal gland. The whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was used. Cs+-filled pipettes were used in order to block K+ channels. 2. Three Ca2+ components were found, namely, T, L and N, according to the nomenclature proposed by Nowycky, Fox & Tsien (1985). The T-component was a fast transient component activated in the range -60 to -40 mV; the L-component did not inactivate for a sustained depolarization and activated at voltages around -30 mV; the third component, the N-component, was transient and was activated at voltages close to -20 mV. 3. A statistical analysis made on seventy-one experiments showed that the L-component was the most frequent (65% of the experiments), followed by the T- and finally the N- components (59 and 29% of the experiments, respectively). 4. The substitution of Ba2+ ions for Ca2+ ions greatly enhanced the L-component's amplitude (iBa/iCa = 4) while the N-component was unaffected and the T-component was reduced (iBa/iCa = 0.4). 5. A comparison of the voltage-dependent steady-state inactivation of the three components showed that the T-component was inactivated at -60 mV while the inactivation of the L- and N-components was complete at -25 and 0 mV, respectively. 6. A run-down effect was detected in some cells. The time stability of the L-component was lower than that of the T-component. The N-component seemed to be insensitive for at least 1 h. The results for the L- and T-components were obtained in cells which presented no run-down of the current or only a weak one. 7. Cd2+ ions (5 x 10(-5)M) completely blocked the long-lasting component (L-component) and slightly decreased the T-component. 8. Bay K 8644, a dihydropyridine agonist, enhanced the L-component at a concentration of 2.5 microM but decreased it for a higher concentration (5 microM). The T-component was decreased in a reversible way by 1 microM-Bay K 8644. Nifedipine, a well-known antagonist, blocked completely the L-component. This effect was reversed by the addition of Bay K 8644 to the perfusion medium. The T-component was also blocked by nifedipine, a result which is in keeping with the fact that Bay K 8644 has a weak effect on this current.
authors: Département de Physiologie et Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Durroux
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Gallo-Payet
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Payet
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D001464:Barium; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D009543:Nifedipine