Gating currents of the sodium channels: three ways to block them.
Preceding the opening of the sodium channels of axon membrane there is a small outward current, gating current, that is probably associated with the molecular rearrangements that open the channels. Gating current is reversibly blocked by three procedures that block the sodium current: (i) internal perfusion with zinc ions, (ii) inactivation of sodium conductance by brief depolarization, and (iii) prolonged depolarization.
D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology
D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D012964:Sodium; D015032:Zinc