title: Voltage-dependent potassium channels in white adipocytes.
abstract: Macroscopic membrane currents of white adipocytes were studied using the whole-cell variant of the patch-clamp technique. These cells were obtained by differentiating preadipocytes fro rat epididymal tissue. In all differentiated cells outward currents exhibiting sigmoidal activation kinetics were observed with amplitudes ranging from 0.5 to 6 nA. The outward current showed activation thresholds at approximately -25 to -35 mV. The ion channels underlying the macroscopic current were highly selective for K+. Their selectivity was typical for K+ channels, with relative permeabilities of K+ > NH4+ > Cs+, Na+. The potassium current was blocked by tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, barium and cobalt. These results demonstrate the existence of voltage dependent potassium channels in mature white adipose cells.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Fisiología Médica y Biofísica, Facultad de Medicina, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Ponce
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mateos
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Carrión
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bellido
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine / Q000494:pharmacology; D017667:Adipocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002414:Cations, Monovalent / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D004822:Epididymis; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002414:Cations, Monovalent; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013757:Tetraethylammonium Compounds; D001464:Barium; D003035:Cobalt; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D011188:Potassium