title: The permeability of the cGMP-activated channel to organic cations in retinal rods of the tiger salamander.
abstract: 1. The permeability of the channel activated by guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) to many organic monovalent cations was determined by recording macroscopic currents in excised inside-out patches of plasma membrane from isolated retinal rod outer segments of the tiger salamander. 2. Current-voltage relations were measured when the NaCl of the bathing medium was replaced by salts of organic cations. Permeability ratios relative to Na+ ions were calculated with the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz potential equation from the measured changes of reversal potentials. 3. Hydroxylammonium+, hydrazinium+ and methylammonium+, which are molecules of very similar shape and size, permeate the channel with very different permeability ratios: 5.92, 1.99 and 0.60 respectively. 4. Methylated and ethylated ammonium+ compounds were investigated. It was found that, not only methylammonium+, but also dimethylammonium+ and ethylammonium+ were permeant with permeability ratios of 0.6, 0.14 and 0.16 respectively. Trimethylammonium+, tetramethylammonium+, diethylammonium+, triethylammonium+, and tetraethylammonium+ were not permeant. 5. Guanidinium+ and its derivatives formamidinium+, aminoguanidinium+, acetamidinium+ and methylguanidinium+ were all permeant with permeability ratios 1.12, 1.00, 0.63, 0.36 and 0.33 respectively. 6. The cGMP-activated channel was found to be permeable to at least thirteen organic cations. Molecular models of the permeant cations indicate that the cross-section of the narrowest part of the pore must be at least as large as a rectangle of 0.38 x 0.5 nm dimensions.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cibernetica e Biofisica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Picco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menini
mesh_terms: D000557:Ambystoma; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D002412:Cations / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006146:Guanidines / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D006146:Guanidines; D007473:Ion Channels; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012964:Sodium; D006152:Cyclic GMP