title: Sodium-gated cation channel implicated in the activation of lobster olfactory receptor neurons.
abstract: The role of Na+-activated channels in cellular function, if any, is still elusive. We have attempted to implicate a Na+-activated nonselective cation channel in the activation of lobster olfactory receptor neurons. We show that a Na+-activated channel occurs in the odor-detecting outer dendrites. With the use of pharmacological blockers of the channel together with ion substitution, we show that a substantial part of the odor-evoked depolarization in these cells can be ascribed to a Na+-activated conductance. We hypothesize, therefore, that the Na+-activated channel amplifies the receptor current as a result of being secondarily activated by the primary odor transduction pathway.
authors.affiliation: Whitney Laboratory, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida 32086-8623, USA.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Zhainazarov
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Doolin
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Ache
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008121:Nephropidae; D009812:Odorants; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011930:Reaction Time; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014268:Trifluoperazine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002147:Calmodulin; D015222:Sodium Channels; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014268:Trifluoperazine; C017967:W 7; D012964:Sodium