title: Na-Ca exchange current in mammalian heart cells.
abstract: Electrogenic Na-Ca exchange has been known to act in the cardiac sarcolemma as a major mechanism for extruding Ca ions. Ionic flux measurements in cardiac vesicles have recently suggested that the exchange ratio is probably 3 Na:1 Ca, although a membrane current generated by such a process has not been isolated. Using the intracellular perfusion technique combined with the whole-cell voltage clamp, we were able to load Na+ inside and Ca2+ outside the single ventricular cells of the guinea pig and have succeeded in recording an outward Na-Ca exchange current while blocking most other membrane currents. The current is voltage-dependent, blocked by La3+ and does not develop in the absence of intracellular free Ca2+. This report presents the first direct measurement of the cardiac Na-Ca exchange current, and should facilitate the study of Ca2+ fluxes during cardiac activity, together with various electrical changes attributable to the Na-Ca exchange and the testing of proposed models.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016276:Ventricular Function
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium