title: Magnesium permeation through mechanosensitive channels: single-current measurements.
abstract: Compelling evidence shows that intracellular free magnesium [Mg(2+)](i) may be a critical regulator of cell activity in eukaryotes. However, membrane transport mechanisms mediating Mg(2+) influx in mammalian cells are poorly understood. Here, we show that mechanosensitive (MS) cationic channels activated by stretch are permeable for Mg(2+) ions at different extracellular concentrations including physiological ones. Single-channel currents were recorded from cell-attached and inside-out patches on K562 leukaemia cells at various concentrations of MgCl(2) when Mg(2+) was the only available carrier of inward currents. At 2 mM Mg(2+), inward mechanogated currents representing Mg(2+) influx through MS channels corresponded to the unitary conductance of about 5 pS. At higher Mg(2+) levels, only slight increase of single-channel currents and conductance occurred, implying that Mg(2+) permeation through MS channels is characterized by strong saturation. At 20 and 90 mM Mg(2+), mean conductance values for inward currents carried by Mg(2+) were rather similar, being equal to 6.8 +/- 0.5 and 6.4 +/- 0.5 pS, respectively. The estimation of the channel-selective permeability according to constant field equation is obviously limited due to saturation effects. We conclude that the detection of single currents is the main evidence for Mg(2+) permeation through membrane channels activated by stretch. Our single-current measurements document Mg(2+) influx through MS channels in the plasma membrane of leukaemia cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Alexander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Staruschenko
authors.forename: Anastasiya V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Sudarikova
authors.forename: Yuri A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Negulyaev
authors.forename: Elena A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Morachevskaya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D020014:K562 Cells; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010539:Permeability
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D008274:Magnesium