Ultra-slow voltage-dependent inactivation of the calcium current in guinea-pig and ferret ventricular myocytes.
L-type Ca2+ current, iCa, has been recorded in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes at 36 degrees C using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Intracellular Ca2+ was buffered with ethylenebis(oxonitrilo)tetraacetate (EGTA). An increase in the rate of stimulation from 0.5 to 3 Hz resulted in an abrupt decrease in iCa in the first beat at the high rate, followed by a progressive decrease (tau approx. 7 s) over the next 30 s. The changes were not the result of Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation, because similar changes occurred with either Ba2+ or Na+ as the charge carrier. During 20-s voltage clamp pulses there was an ultra-slow phase of inactivation of Ba2+ or Na+ current through the Ca2+ channel (tau approx. 6 s at 0 mV). This was confirmed by applying test pulses after conditioning pulses of different duration: the Ba2+ current during the test pulse decreased progressively when the duration of the conditioning pulse was increased progressively to 20 s. Ultra-slow inactivation of Ba2+ current was voltage dependent and increased monotonically at more positive potentials. Recovery of Ba2+ current from ultra-slow inactivation occurred with a time constant of 3.7 s at -40 mV and 0.7 s at -80 mV. The gradual decrease in iCa on increasing the rate to 3 Hz may have been the result of the development of ultra-slow voltage-dependent inactivation.
Department of Physiology, University of Leeds, UK.
M R
MR
Boyett
H
H
Honjo
S M
SM
Harrison
W J
WJ
Zang
M S
MS
Kirby
D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D016276:Ventricular Function
D015220:Calcium Channels