title: Novel activation stimulus of chloride channels by potassium in human osteoblasts and human leukaemic T lymphocytes.
abstract: 1. The whole-cell recording mode of the patch-clamp technique was used to study the effect of extracellular K+ and Rb+ on membrane currents in human osteoblasts, in a human osteoblast-like cell line, and in the Jurkat human leukaemic T cell line. 2. Increasing the extracellular concentration of K+ increased the membrane conductance of the cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This increase in membrane conductance was due to the activation of a Cl- conductance. Rb+ also induced this conductance, but conductance was less than half that seen in K+. 3. The Cl- channel blockers 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) and 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene 2,2'-disulphonic acid (SITS) blocked the K(+)-induced Cl- current in a voltage-dependent manner. The degree of blockade increased with membrane depolarization to a maximum level at 40 mV. At potentials above this value the block appeared to decrease. 4. Both tonicity and K+ were required for maximal activation of the Cl- conductance since the K(+)-induced Cl- conductance could be inhibited by hypertonic solutions and the activation of a volume-sensitive Cl- conductance by hypotonic solutions could be enhanced by extracellular K+. 5. We conclude that an outwardly rectifying Cl- conductance can be activated either upon osmotic swelling or by an increase in extracellular K+. Both activation pathways may be involved in cell volume regulation and seem to apply to volume-sensitive Cl- channels in general since we observe this phenomenon in two different cell types, in human osteoblasts as well as in human leukaemic T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grissmer
mesh_terms: D017878:4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D012856:4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012413:Rubidium / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018118:Chloride Channels; D012856:4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid; D012413:Rubidium; D017878:4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid; D011188:Potassium