title: Regulation of contraction and relaxation by membrane potential in cardiac ventricular myocytes.
abstract: Control of contraction and relaxation by membrane potential was investigated in voltage-clamped guinea pig ventricular myocytes at 37 degrees C. Depolarization initiated phasic contractions, followed by sustained contractions that relaxed with repolarization. Corresponding Ca(2+) transients were observed with fura 2. Sustained responses were ryanodine sensitive and exhibited sigmoidal activation and deactivation relations, with half-maximal voltages near -46 mV, which is characteristic of the voltage-sensitive release mechanism (VSRM) for sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+). Inactivation was not detected. Sustained responses were insensitive to inactivation or block of L-type Ca(2+) current (I(Ca-L)). The voltage dependence of sustained responses was not affected by changes in intracellular or extracellular Na(+) concentration. Furthermore, sustained responses were not inhibited by 2 mM Ni(2+). Thus it is improbable that I(Ca-L) or Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange generated these sustained responses. However, rapid application of 200 microM tetracaine, which blocks the VSRM, strongly inhibited sustained contractions. Our study indicates that the VSRM includes both a phasic inactivating and a sustained noninactivating component. The sustained component contributes both to initiation and relaxation of contraction.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4H7. Gregory.Ferrier@dal.ca
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Ferrier
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mapplebeck
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Howlett
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016257:Fura-2 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D008954:Models, Biological; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009532:Nickel / Q000494:pharmacology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D013748:Tetracaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016276:Ventricular Function
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D020746:Calcium Channels, L-Type; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013748:Tetracaine; D012433:Ryanodine; D009532:Nickel; D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2