|
|
||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strong electric pulses produce reversible or irreversible membrane breakdown (electroporation). We analysed the permeation properties of minute pores caused by hyperpolarization or lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) by comparing the amount of charge carried by irregular inward currents (Ihi) with changes in ethidium bromide (EB) fluorescence in isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes. Forty-second negative pulses from a holding potential of -20 mV induced Ihi whose conductance increased with hyperpolarization; the mean conductance (Ghi) was 63.6 ± 9.9 pS pF-1 (mean ± S.E.M., n = 9) at -160 mV. EB fluorescence increased during voltage pulses in parallel with the time integral of Ihi (Qhi), with the magnitude of the increases in nuclear EB fluorescence being 5.3 times greater than in the cytoplasm at -160 mV. Similar hyperpolarization-induced parallel increases in Ihi and EB fluorescence were also obtained in Na+-free, N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG) solution. LPC (10 µM) induced large (101.2 ± 21.2 pS pF-1, n = 16), rapid (rise times, 1-10 ms) Ihi with slow relaxation rates at -80 mV that reflected increases in Ghi to 94.3 ± 24.8 pS pF-1 (n = 8) at 6 min. Plots of EB fluorescence vs. Qhi were well fitted by a common Hill's equation with a Hill coefficient of 0.97. Taken together, our findings indicate that hyperpolarization and LPC produced pores having the same filter properties for the permeation of small ions, including ethidium+, and that Ihi (carried in part by Ca2+) generated by membrane breakdown are capable of supplying sufficient ions to evoke abnormal excitation and contraction in cardiac myocytes.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
H. Tsujikawa, Y. Song, M. Watanabe, H. Masumiya, S. A. Gupte, R. Ochi, and T. Okada Cholesterol depletion modulates basal L-type Ca2+ current and abolishes its -adrenergic enhancement in ventricular myocytes Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, January 1, 2008; 294(1): H285 - H292. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Schilling, F. Lehmann, B. Ruckert, and C. Eder Physiological mechanisms of lysophosphatidylcholine-induced de-ramification of murine microglia J. Physiol., May 15, 2004; 557(1): 105 - 120. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. Klauke, G. L. Smith, and J. Cooper Stimulation of Single Isolated Adult Ventricular Myocytes within a Low Volume Using a Planar Microelectrode Array Biophys. J., September 1, 2003; 85(3): 1766 - 1774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |