title: Two types of voltage-gated K channels in carotid body cells of adult cats.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate if the oxygen-sensitive K channel is present in the carotid body cells of adult cats, and if all carotid body cells express the oxygen-sensitive K channel. A standard patch-clamp technique with a whole-cell configuration was applied to cultured carotid body cells from adult cats. The cells were continuously perfused with Krebs equilibrated with 5% CO2/air or 5% CO2/argon at room temperature. The results showed that electrophysiologically at least two types of cells existed in cultured cat carotid body cells. One type expressed the oxygen-sensitive K channel and the other expressed the oxygen-insensitive K channel. The oxygen-sensitive K channel was voltage-dependent with a threshold potential of -30 mV. No inactivation was observed during 40 ms of stimulation. The slope of the steady-state current-voltage curve was almost linear in the range from -30 mV to +50 mV. Hypoxia (pO2 = 25 mmHg) reversibly depressed the K current by 22%. The current was inhibited by 4-aminopyridine (10 mM) and tetraethylammonium (4-25 mM), but insensitive to charybdotoxin (100 nM). The oxygen-insensitive K channel showed similar characteristics to that of the oxygen-sensitive K channel in the threshold and the speed of activation, and the shape of I-V curve. The cat is the third species in which the oxygen-sensitive K channel was found in the carotid body. The sensitivity of K channels to oxygen may be a unique feature of chemosensory cells, but the properties of the oxygen-sensitive K channels are different among cats, rats, and rabbits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Hygiene and Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirahata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D010100:Oxygen