title: Glucose-dependent regulation of rhythmic action potential firing in pancreatic beta-cells by K(ATP)-channel modulation.
abstract: The regulation of a K(+) current activating during oscillatory electrical activity (I(K,slow)) in an insulin-releasing beta-cell was studied by applying the perforated patch whole-cell technique to intact mouse pancreatic islets. The resting whole-cell conductance in the presence of 10 mM glucose amounted to 1.3 nS, which rose by 50 % during a series of 26 simulated action potentials. Application of the K(ATP)-channel blocker tolbutamide produced uninterrupted action potential firing and reduced I(K,slow) by approximately 50 %. Increasing glucose from 15 to 30 mM, which likewise converted oscillatory electrical activity into continuous action potential firing, reduced I(K,slow) by approximately 30 % whilst not affecting the resting conductance. Action potential firing may culminate in opening of K(ATP) channels by activation of ATP-dependent Ca(2+) pumping as suggested by the observation that the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor thapsigargin (4 microM) inhibited I(K,slow) by 25 % and abolished bursting electrical activity. We conclude that oscillatory glucose-induced electrical activity in the beta-cell involves the opening of K(ATP)-channel activity and that these channels, in addition to constituting the glucose-regulated K(+) conductance, also play a role in the graded response to supra-threshold glucose concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rorsman
authors.forename: S O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Göpel
mesh_terms: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D054086:KATP Channels; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D019284:Thapsigargin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014044:Tolbutamide / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D015220:Calcium Channels; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D054086:KATP Channels; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; C092520:uK-ATP-1 potassium channel; D019284:Thapsigargin; D014044:Tolbutamide; D005947:Glucose; D002118:Calcium