title: Analysis of the ion channel complement of the rat oligodendrocyte progenitor in a commonly studied in vitro preparation.
abstract: We have analysed the ion channel complement of the oligodendrocyte-type 2 astrocyte (O-2A) glial cell progenitor obtained from the commonly studied neonatal rat mixed brain preparation. Ionic currents, in O-2A progenitors identified on both morphological and immunological grounds, were recorded using the whole-cell variant of the patch-clamp technique. The cells had an average resting membrane potential close to -50 mV and fired single action potentials in response to suprathreshold current injections. Using voltage-clamp methods we were able to identify and characterize a voltage-activated TTX-sensitive Na+ current, two classes of voltage-activated outward K+ currents, an inactivating inwardly rectifying K+ current, a voltage-activated Cl- current and at least three classes of Ca2+ current.
authors.affiliation: The MRC Centre for Brain Repair, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Compston
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Randall
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000502:physiology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009836:Oligodendroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D018118:Chloride Channels; D007473:Ion Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels; D013779:Tetrodotoxin