J Physiol Editor in Chief
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Physiol Vol 395 pp 487-505
Copyright © 1988 by The Physiological Society
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by DeCoursey, T E
Right arrow Articles by Silver, M R
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by DeCoursey, T E
Right arrow Articles by Silver, M R

Potassium currents in rat type II alveolar epithelial cells.

 T E DeCoursey, E R Jacobs and M R Silver

Department of Physiology, Rush Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612.

1. Type II alveolar epithelial cells isolated from adult rats and grown in primary culture were studied using the whole-cell configuration of the gigohm-seal voltage clamp technique. 2. The average specific capacitance of type II cells was 2.5 microF/cm2, suggesting that type II cell membranes in vitro are irregular, with an actual area more than twice the apparent area. 3. Most type II cells have time- and voltage-dependent outward currents carried by potassium ions. Potassium currents activate with a sigmoid time course upon membrane depolarization, and inactivate during maintained depolarization. The average maximum whole-cell K+ conductance was 1.6 nS. 4. Two distinct types of K+-selective channels underlie outward currents in type II cells. Most cells have currents resembling delayed rectifier K+ currents in skeletal muscle, nerve and immune cells. A few cells had a different type of K+ conductance which is more sensitive to block by tetraethylammonium ions, has faster 'tail currents', and activates at more positive potentials. 5. In some experiments, individual type II cells were identified by staining with phosphine, a fluorescent dye which is concentrated in lamellar bodies. Both types of K+ channels were seen in type II cells identified with this dye. 6. Phosphine added to the bathing solution reversibly reduced K+ currents and shifted K+ channel activation to more positive potentials. Excitation of phosphine to fluoresce reduced irreversibly K+ currents in type II cells. The usefulness of phosphine as a means of identifying cells for study is discussed.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Bio.Home page
V. Shlyonsky, A. Goolaerts, F. Mies, and R. Naeije
Electrophysiological Characterization of Rat Type II Pneumocytes in Situ
Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., July 1, 2008; 39(1): 36 - 44.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Mol. Pharmacol.Home page
A. Roch, V. Shlyonsky, A. Goolaerts, F. Mies, and S. Sariban-Sohraby
Halothane Directly Modifies Na+ and K+ Channel Activities in Cultured Human Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Mol. Pharmacol., May 1, 2006; 69(5): 1755 - 1762.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.Home page
R. Murphy, V. V. Cherny, D. Morgan, and T. E. DeCoursey
Voltage-gated proton channels help regulate pHi in rat alveolar epithelium
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, February 1, 2005; 288(2): L398 - L408.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.Home page
P. J. Kemp and K.-J. Kim
Spectrum of ion channels in alveolar epithelial cells: implications for alveolar fluid balance
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, September 1, 2004; 287(3): L460 - L464.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.Home page
C. Karle, T. Gehrig, R. Wodopia, S. Hoschele, V. A. W. Kreye, H. A. Katus, P. Bartsch, and H. Mairbaurl
Hypoxia-induced inhibition of whole cell membrane currents and ion transport of A549 cells
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, June 1, 2004; 286(6): L1154 - L1160.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Proc Am Thorac SocHome page
D. C. Eaton, J. Chen, S. Ramosevac, S. Matalon, and L. Jain
Regulation of Na+ Channels in Lung Alveolar Type II Epithelial Cells
Proceedings of the ATS, January 1, 2004; 1(1): 10 - 16.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
S. Y. Lee, P. J. Maniak, D. H. Ingbar, and S. M. O'Grady
Adult alveolar epithelial cells express multiple subtypes of voltage-gated K+ channels that are located in apical membrane
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, June 1, 2003; 284(6): C1614 - C1624.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.Home page
S. M. O'Grady and S. Y. Lee
Chloride and potassium channel function in alveolar epithelial cells
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, May 1, 2003; 284(5): L689 - L700.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Physiol. Rev.Home page
T. E. Decoursey
Voltage-Gated Proton Channels and Other Proton Transfer Pathways
Physiol Rev, April 1, 2003; 83(2): 475 - 579.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
S. Matalon, A. Lazrak, L. Jain, and D. C. Eaton
Lung Edema Clearance: 20 Years of Progress: Invited Review: Biophysical properties of sodium channels in lung alveolar epithelial cells
J Appl Physiol, November 1, 2002; 93(5): 1852 - 1859.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol.Home page
T. E. DeCoursey
Hypothesis: do voltage-gated H+ channels in alveolar epithelial cells contribute to CO2 elimination by the lung?
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, January 1, 2000; 278(1): C1 - C10.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1988 The Physiological Society.