title: High permeation of L-type Ca2+ channels at physiological [Ca2+]: homogeneity and dependence on the alpha 1-subunit.
abstract: Molecular cloning has identified multiple isoforms of dihydropyridine-sensitive C-class L-type Ca2+ channels. We tested the hypotheses that L-type (C-class) channels exhibit homogeneous high permeation properties at physiological Ca2+ concentrations and membrane potentials. We measured unitary currents through single dihydropyridine-sensitive omega-conotoxin-insensitive endocrine and smooth muscle L-type Ca2+ channels in rat pituitary GH3 and rat aortic A7r5 cell lines. We also measured unitary currents through smooth muscle (Cb) Ca2+ channel alpha 1-subunits in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Our results show that single channel conductances of all three L-type (C-class) channels are uniform with high Ba2+ concentrations, e.g., approximately 23 pS with 110 mM Ba2+. The single channel conductances were reduced to similar values when the Ba2+ concentration was lowered to near-physiological values: 11.1, 9.3, and 8.4 pS in GH3, A7r5, and CHO cells at 2 mM Ba2+, respectively. The single channel conductances were not significantly different with near-physiological Ca2+ concentrations: 5.5, 5.9, and 4.9 pS in GH3, A7r5, and CHO cells at 2 mM Ca2+, respectively. The data suggest that L-type (C-class) channels are homogeneous in terms of Ca2+ permeation at physiological charge carrier concentrations and membrane potentials. Furthermore, the data indicate that the relatively high Ca2+ permeation under physiological conditions is determined by the intrinsic properties of the pore-forming Ca2+ channel alpha 1-subunit.
authors.affiliation: Franz Volhard Clinic, Virchow Klinikum, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gollasch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ried
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liebold
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haller
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Luft
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016466:CHO Cells; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D006224:Cricetinae; D004594:Electrophysiology; D017136:Ion Transport; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002118:Calcium