scholarly journals Endocardial versus epicardial differences in L-type calcium current in canine ventricular myocytes studied by action potential voltage clamp

2003 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
T BANYASZ ◽  
L FULOP ◽  
J MAGYAR ◽  
N SZENTANDRASSY ◽  
A VARRO ◽  
...  
1993 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 2606-2619 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Matsushima ◽  
J. Tegner ◽  
R. H. Hill ◽  
S. Grillner

1. Activation of gamma-aminobutyric acid-B (GABAB) receptors during N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced fictive locomotor activity in the lamprey spinal cord reduces the burst frequency and changes the intersegmental coordination. Presynaptic inhibition of both the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission from spinal premotor interneurons occurs through GABAB receptor activation. To further analyze the cellular mechanisms underlying the GABABergic modulation of the locomotor network, the present study investigates somatodendritic effects of GABAB receptor activation on interneurons and motoneurons in the lamprey spinal cord in vitro using single-electrode current- and voltage-clamp techniques. 2. High- (HVA) and low- (LVA) voltage-activated calcium currents were studied with single-electrode voltage clamp when Na+ and K+ currents were blocked--using tetrodotoxin, tetraethylammonium (TEA), and CsCl electrodes--after substituting Ca2+ with Ba2+. Cobalt-sensitive inward barium currents, activated at -50 mV, became larger when the holding potential was set to a more hyperpolarized level, thus suggesting the existence of an LVA calcium current. The presence of cobalt-sensitive inward barium currents activated at -30 and -10 mV suggests the existence of an HVA calcium current. GABAB receptor activation (baclofen) reduced the peak amplitude of both the LVA and HVA Ca2+ component. 3. The late phase of the afterhyperpolarization (AHP), which follows the action potential, was reduced in amplitude by cobalt, thus lending further support to the notion that the Ca2+ influx, and the subsequent activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels (KCa2+), constitutes the major part of the AHP generation. Application of the GABAB agonist baclofen also reduced the peak amplitude of the AHP in interneurons and motoneurons, and this reduction was counteracted by the GABAB antagonist 2(OH)saclofen. Baclofen reduced the duration of action potentials broadened by TEA, thus suggesting that the Ca2+ inflow was reduced. Intracellular injection of the GTP analogue GTP gamma S also reduced the duration of the action potential and the peak amplitude of the AHP in TEA, thus supporting the notion that a GTP-binding protein (G-protein)-mediated GABAB receptor activation reduced the calcium inflow, leading to less activation of KCa channels and, consequently, to a smaller peak amplitude of the AHP. 4. Baclofen suppressed the subthreshold depolarization induced by a depolarizing current pulse injection without affecting either the spike threshold or the resting membrane conductance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 382-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi-Ying Liu ◽  
Mario Vassalle

The effects of some components of ischemia on the oscillatory (Vos) and nonoscillatory (Vex) potentials and respective currents (Ios and Iex), as well as their mechanisms, were studied in guinea pig isolated ventricular myocytes by means of a single-microelectrode, discontinuous voltage clamp method. Repetitive activations induced not only Vos and Ios, but also Vex and Iex. A small decrease in resting potential caused an immediate increase in Vos followed by a gradual increase due to the longer action potential. Immediate and gradual increases in Ios also occurred during voltage clamp steps. A small depolarization increased Vos and Vex, and facilitated the induction of spontaneous discharge by fast drive. At Vh where INa is inactivated, depolarizing steps induced larger Ios and Iex, indicating the importance of the Na-independent Ca loading. High [K]odecreased the resting potential, but also Vos, Vex, Ios, Iex, and ICa. In high [K]o, depolarization still increased Vos and Vex. Norepinephrine (NE) enhanced Vos and Vex, and also Ios and Iex, during voltage clamp steps. High [K]o antagonized NE effects, and NE those of high [K]o. In conclusion, on depolarization, Vos and Ios immediately increase through a voltage-dependent mechanism; and then Vos and Ios gradually increase, apparently through an increased Ca load related to the longer action potentials and the Na–Ca exchange. The depolarization induced by Vex may contribute to increase Vos size. Vos and Vex are similarly influenced by different procedures that modify Ca load. The arrhythmogenic events are enhanced by the simultaneous presence of depolarization, faster rate, or NE. Instead, high [K]o decreases Vos and Vex by decreasing ICa and opposes the effects of NE. The voltage clamp results show that potentiation and antagonism between different components of ischemia are due primarily to changes in Ca loading and not to changes in action potential configuration.Key words: ischemia, arrhythmias, oscillatory and nonoscillatory potentials and currents, norepinephrine, potassium.


1999 ◽  
Vol 276 (2) ◽  
pp. H572-H581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delilah J. Huelsing ◽  
Kenneth W. Spitzer ◽  
Jonathan M. Cordeiro ◽  
Andrew E. Pollard

Purkinje-ventricular junctions (PVJs) have been implicated as potential sites of arrhythmogenesis, in part because of the dispersion of action potential duration (APD) between Purkinje (P) and ventricular (V) myocytes. To characterize electrotonic modulation of APD as a function of junctional resistance ( R j), we coupled single isolated rabbit P and V myocytes with an electronic circuit. In seven of eight PV myocyte pairs, both APDs shortened on coupling at R j = 50 MΩ. This was in contrast to modulation of APD in paired ventricular myocytes, which demonstrated APD shortening of the intrinsically longer action potential and APD prolongation of the intrinsically shorter action potential. Companion computer simulations, performed to suggest possible mechanisms for the paradoxical shortening of the V action potential in paired P and V myocytes, showed that the difference in intrinsic peak plateau potentials ( V pp) of the P and V myocytes determined whether the V action potential shortened or prolonged on coupling. This difference in V pp caused a large, repolarizing coupling current to flow to the V myocyte, contributing to early inactivation of the L-type calcium current and early activation of the inward rectifier current. These results suggest that intrinsic differences in phase 1 repolarization could yield differing patterns of APD shortening or prolongation in the network of subendocardial PVJs, leaving some PVJs vulnerable to conduction of premature stimuli while other PVJs remain refractory.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Hézsô ◽  
Muhammad Khan ◽  
Csaba Dienes ◽  
Dénes Kiss ◽  
János Prorok ◽  
...  

Abstract Enhancement of the late Na+ current (INaL) increases arrhythmia propensity in the heart, while suppression of the current is antiarrhythmic. GS967 is an agent considered as a selective blocker of INaL. In the present study, effects of GS967 on INaL, on L-type calcium current (ICa), and on action potential (AP) morphology were studied in canine ventricular myocytes by using conventional voltage clamp, action potential voltage clamp and sharp microelectrode techniques. These effects of GS967 were compared to tetrodotoxin (TTX) and to the class I/B antiarrhythmic compound mexiletine. 1 µM GS967, 40 µM mexiletine, and 10 µM TTX dissected largely similarly shaped inward currents under action potential voltage clamp conditions. In case of GS967 and mexiletine, the amplitude and integral of this current was significantly smaller when measured in the presence of 1 µM nisoldipine, while no difference was observed in case of TTX. Under conventional voltage clamp conditions, INaL was significantly decreased by 1 µM GS967 and 40 µM mexiletine (79.0±3.0% and 63.3±2.7% reduction of current integrals, respectively). The integral of ICa was moderately but significantly diminished by both drugs (reduction of 9.3±3.3% and 14.1±1.5%, respectively). These changes were associated with acceleration of inactivation of ICa. Drug effects on peak Na+ current (INaP) were also assessed by recording AP upstroke in multicellular preparations. Both GS967 and mexiletine showed fast onset and offset kinetics: 110 ms and 289 ms offset time constants, respectively, as determined from V+max measurements in right ventricular papillary muscles, while the onset kinetics was characterized by 5.3 AP and 2.6 AP, respectively, at 2.5 Hz. Effects on beat-to-beat variability of AP duration (APD) was studied in isolated myocytes. Beat-to-beat variability was significantly decreased by both GS967 and mexiletine (reduction of 42.1±6.5% and 24.6±12.8%, respectively) while their shortening effect on APD was comparable. It is concluded that the electrophysiological effects of GS967 are similar to those of mexiletine, but with somewhat faster offset kinetics of V+max block. However, since GS967 depressed V+max and INaL at the same concentration, the current view that GS967 represents a new class of drugs that selectively block INaL has to be questiond and it is suggested that GS967 should be classified as a class I/B (or I/B + IV) antiarrhythmic agent.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (2) ◽  
pp. H488-H498 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Andrew Wasserstrom ◽  
Ana-Maria Vites

The effects of Cd2+ (20 μM) and different bath temperatures were used to study the contributions of two separate triggering mechanisms, L-type Ca2+current ( I Ca) and reverse mode Na+/Ca2+exchange, to excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling in cat ventricular myocytes. Ionic currents and cell shortening were studied with patch pipettes filled with K+-containing internal solution and discontinuous (“switch”) voltage clamp. Superfusion with Cd2+ blocked cell shortening that closely mirrored the block of I Ca; the voltage dependence of Cd2+-induced reduction in contraction was bell-shaped, displaying minima at test potentials below −10 mV and above +50 mV and a maximum at about +20 mV. Cd2+-insensitive cell shortening was blocked by ryanodine (10 μM) and Ni2+ (4–5 mM). When an action potential was used as the command waveform for the voltage clamp (action potential clamp), Cd2+reduced contraction to ∼60 ± 7% of control cell shortening ( n = 7). The remaining contraction was blocked by ryanodine and Ni2+. Superfusion with nifedipine (10 μM) caused nearly identical effects to Cd2+. The voltage dependence of contraction was sigmoidal at temperatures above 34°C but bell-shaped below 30°C. When Cd2+ was added to superfusate, contraction was abolished at 25°C (to 6 ± 3% of control) but reduced only modestly at 34°C (to 65 ± 13% of control, test potential +10 mV, n = 4, P < 0.01). These results indicate that 1) there is a component of contraction that is sensitive to I Ca antagonists, and the block is equivalent with either organic or inorganic antagonists; 2) the contribution of Na+/Ca2+exchange to triggering of contraction under our experimental conditions is fairly linear throughout the entire voltage range tested; 3) the contribution of I Ca is superimposed on this background component contributed by the Na+/Ca2+exchanger; and 4) triggering via the exchanger is temperature-dependent, providing a major contribution at physiological temperatures but failing at temperatures below 30°C in a nearly all-or-none fashion.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document