title: Fast and slow blockades of the inward-rectifier K+ channel by external divalent cations in guinea-pig cardiac myocytes.
abstract: The present patch-clamp study shows that external Mg2+, Ca2+ and Sr2+ decrease the unit amplitude of inward current through the inward-rectifier K+ channel in a concentration-dependent manner. Sr2+ produces a voltage-dependent flickering block as well, and the fractional electrical distance between the external orifice and the Sr2+ binding site (delta) is 0.73. The decrease of unit amplitude is reversible and voltage independent while it does not increase the noise level on the open-channel current. Unit current decreased by Mg2+ or Ca2+ has a longer mean open time, which is inversely proportional to the unit amplitude. External Mg2+ does not decrease the amplitude of unit outward current. A surface potential shift, measured using voltage-dependent Cs+ block (delta = 1.60), failed to explain the current decrease. Therefore, we conclude that (1) the external divalent cations cause an extremely fast channel block, which appears as a decreased amplitude of the unit current on the recording system; (2) the blocking site (fast site) is present near the external orifice of the channel, and it is separate from the blocking site (slow site) to which Cs+ and Sr2+ bind.
authors: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Shioya
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Matsuda
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Noma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002413:Cations, Divalent / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002586:Cesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D013324:Strontium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D015221:Potassium Channels; D002586:Cesium; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium; D013324:Strontium