title: Evidence for a PO2-sensitive K+ channel in the type-I cell of the rabbit carotid body.
abstract: Type-I cells of rabbit carotid bodies were studied with the patch-clamp technique in the whole-cell and on the cell-attached configuration. Cells exhibiting resting potentials of about -40 mV under normoxic conditions (PO2: 20 kPa), depolarized during hypoxia (PO2: 3.7 kPa). Hypoxia did not affect inward Ca2+ currents but inactivated outward K+ currents in voltage-clamp experiments. Single-channel currents recorded for the cell-attached mode showed a slope conductance of about 137 pS and a 0 mV reversal potential under symmetrical K+ concentration (140 mM). The open-probability (PO) of the single channel was dependent on the extracellular PO2. These data demonstrate the existence of a PO2-sensitive K+ channel in type-I cells, which may account for cell depolarization and the resulting chemosensory response.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Systemphysiologie, Dortmund, FRG.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Delpiano
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hescheler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D010100:Oxygen