title: The development and pharmacological characterization of calcium channel currents in cultured embryonic rat septal cells.
abstract: We characterized the development and pharmacology of Ca(2+) channel currents in NGF-treated embryonic day 21 cultured rat septal cells. Using standard whole-cell voltage clamp techniques, cells were held at -80 mV and depolarized to construct current-voltage relations in conditions that eliminated Na(+) or K(+) currents. Barium (10 mM) was used as the charge carrier. Maximum current was produced when cells were depolarized to 0 or +10 mV. Recordings from 77 cells revealed that Ca(2+) channel current density increases over time in culture from nearly 0 pA/pF on day 2 in vitro (0.65+/-0.65 pA/pF) to (6.95+/-1.59 pA/pF) on days 6-8. This was followed by a period where currents became nearly 3 times more dense (21.05+/-7.16 pA/pF) at days 9-17. There was little or no evidence for low voltage activated currents. Bath application of 50-100 microM CdCl(2) abolished approximately 95% of the current. Application of 10 microM nimodipine produced a 50.5+/-3.22% reduction in current, 2 microM omega-CTx-GVIA produced a 32.4+/-7.3% reduction, and application of 4 microM omega-Aga-IVA produced a 29.5+/-5.73% reduction in current. When all three inhibitors (10 microM nimodipine, 2 microM omega-CTx-GVIA, and 4 microM omega-Aga-IVA) were applied simultaneously, a residual current remained that was 18.0+/-4.9% of the total current and was completely abolished by application of CdCl(2). This is the first report to characterize Ca(2+) channel currents in cultured embryonic septal cells. These data indicate that there is a steady increase in Ca(2+) channel expression over time in vitro, and show that like other cultured neuronal cells, septal cells express multiple Ca(2+) channel types including L, N, P/Q and R-type channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Brain Institute, University of Florida, Box 100244, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Thinschmidt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000196:embryology*; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA / Q000494:pharmacology; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D009553:Nimodipine; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA