title: Whole-cell recordings of calcium and potassium currents in acutely isolated smooth muscle cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To record calcium and potassium currents in acutely isolated smooth muscle cells of mesenteric arterial branches in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Smooth muscle cells were freshly isolated by collagenase digest and mechanical trituration with polished pipettes. Patch clamp technique in whole-cell mode was employed to record calcium and potassium currents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The procedure dissociated smooth muscle cells without impairing the electrophysiological characteristics of the cells. The voltage-gated Ca2+ and potassium currents were successfully recorded using whole-cell patch clamp configuration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method dissociates smooth muscle cells from rat mesenteric arterial branches. Voltage-gated channel currents can be recorded in this preparation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical School of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Zhong-Liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiao-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D002469:Cell Separation / Q000379:methods; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries / Q000378:metabolism; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D051668:Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium