title: Voltage-sensitive ion channels in human B lymphocytes.
abstract: Human tonsillar B cells were found to contain type n K+ channels, and have K+ channel densities somewhere between those of murine B cells and those of human T cells. Unlike human T lymphocytes, some human B lymphocytes were able to increase K+ channel density in response to mitogenic activation, but the increases were smaller than those observed in murine B lymphocytes. Some mitogen-stimulated human B cells increased in size, but, unlike murine B cells, cell size was not related to K+ channel density. There may be a down-regulation of K+ channel density in human B cells treated with SAC for 6 days, while no such effect occurs in murine B cells. A fraction of human B cells possess inward current channels (probably Na+ channels) that are similar to channels sometimes seen in human T cells, but not seen in murine B cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine 92717.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Sutro
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Vayuvegula
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cahalan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D051379:Mice; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D015221:Potassium Channels; D011188:Potassium