title: Effects of alloxan on electric activity of mouse pancreatic B cells in vitro.
abstract: Microelectrode method for recording membrane potentials was used. It was observed that alloxan possessed stimulative and toxic dual effects on the electric activity of pancreatic B cells. A 10-min exposure to alloxan 14 mmol.L-1 in the perfusion medium without glucose caused a significant depolarization of B cells from -44 +/- 13 mV to -36 +/- 12 mV (n = 7, P < 0.05) and evoked spikes in B cells. But the spikes disappeared at 24 +/- 12 min (n = 8). In the presence of glucose 5.5 mmol.L-1 or 11.0 mmol.L-1, the dual effects became weaker or not obvious. After 10-min exposure to diazoxide (an ATP sensitive K+ channel opener) 0.8 mmol.L-1 in the perfusion medium with alloxan 14 mmol.L-1 but devoid of glucose, the amplitude of membrane potential went up from -31 +/- 11 mV to -48 +/- 21 mV and the mean value of spikes dropped from 31 +/- 24 spikes.min-1 to 5 +/- 5 spikes.min-1. It was suggested that the stimulative effect of alloxan was due to blocking of ATP sensitive K+ channel and a higher concentration of glucose could prevent B cells from alloxan injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Shanghai Medical University, China.
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Q F
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003981:Diazoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D051379:Mice; D008839:Microelectrodes
chemical_list: D000496:Alloxan; D005947:Glucose; D003981:Diazoxide