title: Altered ion channel conductance and ionic selectivity induced by large imposed membrane potential pulse.
abstract: The effects of large magnitude transmembrane potential pulses on voltage-gated Na and K channel behavior in frog skeletal muscle membrane were studied using a modified double vaseline-gap voltage clamp. The effects of electroconformational damage to ionic channels were separated from damage to lipid bilayer (electroporation). A 4 ms transmembrane potential pulse of -600 mV resulted in a reduction of both Na and K channel conductivities. The supraphysiologic pulses also reduced ionic selectivity of the K channels against Na+ ions, resulting in a depolarization of the membrane resting potential. However, TTX and TEA binding effects were unaltered. The kinetics of spontaneous reversal of the electroconformational damage of channel proteins was found to be dependent on the magnitude of imposed membrane potential pulse. These results suggest that muscle and nerve dysfunction after electrical shock may be in part caused by electroconformational damage to voltage-gated ion channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Illinois 60637.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011896:Rana temporaria; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D019789:Tetraethylammonium