title: Gadolinium selectively blocks a component of calcium current in rodent neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid (NG108-15) cells.
abstract: 1. The effect of the lanthanide cation Gd3+ on voltage-dependent calcium currents in neuroblastoma x glioma (NG108-15) cells has been studied using a whole-cell clamp technique. 2. Gd3+ reduced the amplitude of calcium currents. The amount of inhibition produced by Gd3+ was concentration dependent between about 0.5 and 5 microM and reached a maximum at about 10-20 microM. 3. A proportion of the total calcium current was resistant to blockade by Gd3+. 4. Gd3+-resistant calcium current consisted of two components: a rapidly inactivating, 'fast' component which was activated at potentials more positive than about -45 mV, and a long-lasting, 'slow' component which was activated at potentials more positive than about -10 mV. 5. It was possible to isolate the slow component, in the presence of Gd3+, by selectively inactivating the fast component with a brief depolarizing pre-pulse. The fast and slow components of current probably reflect the activity of two subpopulations of calcium channels which are resistant to block by Gd3+. 6. In control conditions inactivation of calcium current could be described by the sum of a fast (tau congruent to 40 ms at +10 mV) and a slow (tau congruent to 800 ms at +10 mV) exponential decay plus a constant. Gd3+ selectively blocked the slowly decaying current. 7. The current blocked by Gd3+ was activated at potentials more positive than about -35 mV and decayed monoexponentially (tau congruent to 800 ms at +10 mV). 8. It is concluded that under the experimental conditions used in the present study calcium currents recorded in NG108-15 cells are made up of at least three components which reflect the activity of three distinct subpopulations of calcium channels, one of which is selectively blocked by Gd3+.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of London.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Docherty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005682:Gadolinium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005910:Glioma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006822:Hybrid Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D005682:Gadolinium; D002118:Calcium