title: Patch clamp study of mouse glomus cells using a whole carotid body.
abstract: Some electrophysiological characteristics of mouse glomus cells (DBA/2J strain) were investigated using an undissociated carotid body. The carotid body with major carotid arteries was placed in a recording chamber, and glomus cells were visualized with a water immersion lens combined with an infrared differential interference video camera. Patch clamp experiments revealed that voltage-gated outward current, but not inward current, was easily observed in glomus cells. Pharmacological experiments and the kinetics of the current suggest that outward current is via delayed rectifier, A type, and large conductance calcium-activated K channels. Furthermore, K current was reversibly attenuated by mild hypoxia. The results suggest electrophysiological similarities of glomus cells among the cat, the rat, and the DBA/2J mouse. The method appears useful for physiological experiments.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lande
authors.forename: Toshimitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.forename: Machiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shirahata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels