title: Unitary current analysis of L-type Ca2+ channels in human fetal ventricular myocytes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  L-type calcium channels were studied in cell-attached patches from ventricular cell membranes of human fetal heart.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Experiments were performed in the presence of 70 mM Ba2+ as the charge carrier at 22 degrees C to 24 degrees C. Unitary current sweeps were evoked by 300-msec depolarizing pulses to 0 mV from a holding potential of -50 mV at 0.5 Hz. Recorded currents were blocked by nisoldipine (1 microM) and stimulated by (-)Bay K 8644 (1 microM). During control, channel activity was seen in 13.9%+/-4.2% of the total 200 sweeps. Ensemble average current amplitude was 0.03+/-0.01 pA (n = 6) and average conductance was 20.4+/-0.2 pS (n = 5). Analysis of single channel kinetics showed open time and closed time histograms were best fit by one and two exponentials, respectively. Mean open time was tau(o) = 0.99+/-0.05 msec (n = 6). Mean closed time fast (tau(cf)) and slow (tau(cs)) component values were tau(cf) = 0.85+/-0.09 msec and tau(cs) = 8.0+/-0.94 msec (n = 6), respectively. With intrapipette (-)Bay K 8644 (1 microM), mean open time was best fit by two exponentials, tau(of) = 0.9+/-0.2 msec (n = 10) and tau(os) = 13.4+/-2.6 msec (n = 10); mean close time values were tau(cf) = 0.6+/-0.1 msec (n = 10) and tau(cs) = 9.8+/-1.9 msec (n = 10), respectively. With (-)Bay K 8644, channel activity was 66.5%+/-7.4%, the ensemble average current was 0.52+/-0.04 pA (n = 10) and the conductance 20.7+/-0.5 pS (n = 5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (1) the data establishes the characteristics of L-type Ca channels of human fetal hearts and their modulation by dihydropyridines; (2) the open time kinetics differ from those of avian embryonic and rat fetal hearts; and (3) the findings provide new and relevant information for understanding the physiologic behavior of unitary Ca2+ channels in the developing human heart and the baseline comparison for diseases that implicate Ca2+ channels in their etiology, such as autoimmune-associated congenital heart block.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, V.A. Medical Center and SUNY Health Science Center, Brooklyn, New York 11209, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: El-Sherif
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boutjdir
mesh_terms: D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D002120:Calcium Channel Agonists; D015220:Calcium Channels; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester