title: A dihydropyridine-sensitive voltage-dependent calcium channel in the sarcolemmal membrane of crustacean muscle.
abstract: Single-channel currents through calcium channels in muscle of a marine crustacean, the isopod Idotea baltica, were investigated in cell-attached patches. Inward barium currents were strongly voltage-dependent, and the channels were closed at the cell's resting membrane potential. The open probability (Po) increased e-fold for an 8.2 mV (+/- 2.4, n = 13) depolarization. Channel opening were mainly brief (< 0.3 ms) and evenly distributed throughout 100-ms pulses. Averaged, quasimacroscopic currents showed fast activation and deactivation and did not inactivate during 100-ms test pulses. Similarly, channel activity persisted at steadily depolarized holding potentials. With 200 mM Ba2+ as charge carrier, the average slope conductance from the unitary currents between +30 and +80 mV, was 20 pS (+/- 2.6, n = 12). The proportion of long openings, which were very infrequent under control conditions, was greatly increased by preincubation of the muscle fibers with the calcium channel agonist, the dihydropyridine Bay K8644 (10-100 microM). Properties of these currents resemble those through the L-type calcium channels of mammalian nerve, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany. erxleben@alpha.szn.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erxleben
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rathmayer
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001464:Barium / Q000378:metabolism; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003445:Crustacea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D012508:Sarcolemma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D001464:Barium; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester