scholarly journals Separation of intramembrane charging components in low-calcium solutions in frog skeletal muscle.

1991 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
C L Huang

The inactivation of charge movement components by small (-100 to -70 mV) shifts in holding potential was examined in voltage-clamped intact amphibian muscle fibers in low [Ca2+], Mg(2+)-containing solutions. The pulse protocols used both large voltage excursions and smaller potential steps that elicited prolonged (q gamma) transients. Charge species were distinguished through the pharmacological effects of tetracaine. These procedures confirmed earlier observations in cut fibers and identified the following new properties of the q gamma charge. First, q gamma, previously defined as the tetracaine-sensitive charge, is also the component primarily responsible for the voltage-dependent inactivation induced by conditions of low extracellular [Ca2+]. Second, this inactivation separates a transient that includes a "hump" component and which has kinetics and a voltage dependence distinct from the monotonic decay that remains. Third, q gamma, previously associated with delayed charge movements, can also contribute significant charge transfer at early times. These findings suggest that the parallel inhibition of calcium signals and charge movements reported in low [Ca2+] solutions arises from influences on q gamma charge (Brum et al., 1988a, b). They also reconcile reports that implicate tetracaine-sensitive (q gamma) charge in excitation-contraction coupling with evidence that early intramembrane events are also involved in this process (Pizarro et al., 1989). Finally, they are relevant to hypotheses of possible feedback or feed-forward roles of q gamma in excitation-contraction coupling.

2004 ◽  
Vol 123 (5) ◽  
pp. 555-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmytro Isaev ◽  
Karisa Solt ◽  
Oksana Gurtovaya ◽  
John P. Reeves ◽  
Roman Shirokov

Both intracellular calcium and transmembrane voltage cause inactivation, or spontaneous closure, of L-type (CaV1.2) calcium channels. Here we show that long-lasting elevations of intracellular calcium to the concentrations that are expected to be near an open channel (≥100 μM) completely and reversibly blocked calcium current through L-type channels. Although charge movements associated with the opening (ON) motion of the channel's voltage sensor were not altered by high calcium, the closing (OFF) transition was impeded. In two-pulse experiments, the blockade of calcium current and the reduction of gating charge movements available for the second pulse developed in parallel during calcium load. The effect depended steeply on voltage and occurred only after a third of the total gating charge had moved. Based on that, we conclude that the calcium binding site is located either in the channel's central cavity behind the voltage-dependent gate, or it is formed de novo during depolarization through voltage-dependent rearrangements just preceding the opening of the gate. The reduction of the OFF charge was due to the negative shift in the voltage dependence of charge movement, as previously observed for voltage-dependent inactivation. Elevation of intracellular calcium concentration from ∼0.1 to 100–300 μM sped up the conversion of the gating charge into the negatively distributed mode 10–100-fold. Since the “IQ-AA” mutant with disabled calcium/calmodulin regulation of inactivation was affected by intracellular calcium similarly to the wild-type, calcium/calmodulin binding to the “IQ” motif apparently is not involved in the observed changes of voltage-dependent gating. Although calcium influx through the wild-type open channels does not cause a detectable negative shift in the voltage dependence of their charge movement, the shift was readily observable in the Δ1733 carboxyl terminus deletion mutant, which produces fewer nonconducting channels. We propose that the opening movement of the voltage sensor exposes a novel calcium binding site that mediates inactivation.


1988 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 601-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Csernoch ◽  
C L Huang ◽  
G Szucs ◽  
L Kovacs

The effects of tetracaine on charge movements and on antipyrylazo III signals monitoring intracellular delta [Ca2+] were compared in cut frog semitendinosus muscle fibers in a single vaseline gap-voltage clamp. Low tetracaine concentrations (25-40 microM) markedly reduced delta [Ca2+] signals and shifted the rheobase. However, they neither influenced charge movement nor that peak delta [Ca2+] value associated with the contractile threshold. Higher tetracaine concentrations (100-200 microM) partly inhibited charge movements in cut fibers. They separated a steeply voltage-sensitive charge, some of whose features resembled 'q gamma' reported in intact fibers, and whose movement preceded delta [Ca2+] signals at threshold. These findings: (a) directly confirm an earlier suggestion that tetracaine acts on steps in excitation-contraction coupling rather than myofilament activation; (b) show that tetracaine at low concentrations can directly interfere with sarcoplasmic reticular calcium release without modifying charge movement; (c) show that the tetracaine-sensitive charge, first found in intact fibers, also exists in cut fibers; and (d) make it unlikely that tetracaine-sensitive charge transfer is a consequence of Ca2+ release as suggested on earlier occasions.


1990 ◽  
Vol 96 (3) ◽  
pp. 535-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
C L Huang

Potential-dependent inhibition of charge movement components by nifedipine was studied in intact, voltage-clamped, frog skeletal muscle fibers. Available charge was reduced by small shifts in holding potential (from -100 mV to -70 mV) in 2 microM nifedipine, without changes in the capacitance deduced from control (-120 mV to -100 mV) voltage steps made at a fully polarized (-100 mV) holding potential. These voltage-dependent effects did not occur in lower (0-0.5 microM) nifedipine concentrations. The voltage dependence of membrane capacitance at higher (10 microM) nifedipine concentrations was reduced even in fully polarized fibers, but shifting the holding voltage produced no further block. Voltage-dependent inhibition by nifedipine was associated with a fall in available charge, and a reduction in the charge and capacitance-voltage relationships and of late (q gamma) charging transients. It thus separated a membrane-capacitance with a distinct and steep steady-state voltage dependence. Tetracaine (2 mM) reduced voltage-dependent membrane capacitance and nonlinear charge more than did nifedipine. However, nifedipine did not exert voltage-dependent effects on charging currents, membrane capacitance, or inactivation of tetracaine-resistant (q beta) charge. This excludes participation of q beta, or the membrane charge as a whole, from the voltage-dependent effects of nifedipine. Rather, the findings suggest that the charge susceptible to potential-dependent block by nifedipine falls within the tetracaine-sensitive (q gamma) category of intramembrane charge.


1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1126-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Parry ◽  
A. Kover ◽  
G. B. Frank

Exposure of frog toe muscles to 1 mM La3+ results in a decrease in amplitude and rate of tension development of potassium contractures and twitches. At this concentration La3+ also inhibits the uptake of calcium, both in the resting condition and during stimulation. Caffeine contractures are unaffected even after a 5-min pre-exposure to La3+. The depolarization induced by various concentrations of K+ is reduced by about 10 mV as is the amplitude of the action potential. The rate of rise of the action potential is reduced by about 40% after 1 min in La3+ Ringer. Neither the decreased amplitude nor the reduced rate of depolarization is considered to be sufficient to explain the inhibition of tension development. It is suggested that La3+ partially uncouples excitation from contraction by preventing the release of a trigger-Ca2+ fraction from some site on the muscle membrane. This fraction normally plays a role in excitation–contraction coupling, although some tension may still be developed in the absence of a trigger-Ca2+ influx.


1982 ◽  
Vol 37 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 707-708
Author(s):  
Michael Gomolla ◽  
Gernot Gottschalk ◽  
Hans-Christoph Lüttgau

Abstract In single skeletal muscle Fibres perchlorate causes a large shift of the potential dependence of contraction activation to more negative potentials without a corresponding alteration in the kinetics of the inactivation process.


1989 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 565-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
C L Huang ◽  
L D Peachey

Components of nonlinear capacitance, or charge movement, were localized in the membranes of frog skeletal muscle fibers by studying the effect of 'detubulation' resulting from sudden withdrawal of glycerol from a glycerol-hypertonic solution in which the muscles had been immersed. Linear capacitance was evaluated from the integral of the transient current elicited by imposed voltage clamp steps near the holding potential using bathing solutions that minimized tubular voltage attenuation. The dependence of linear membrane capacitance on fiber diameter in intact fibers was consistent with surface and tubular capacitances and a term attributable to the capacitance of the fiber end. A reduction in this dependence in detubulated fibers suggested that sudden glycerol withdrawal isolated between 75 and 100% of the transverse tubules from the fiber surface. Glycerol withdrawal in two stages did not cause appreciable detubulation. Such glycerol-treated but not detubulated fibers were used as controls. Detubulation reduced delayed (q gamma) charging currents to an extent not explicable simply in terms of tubular conduction delays. Nonlinear membrane capacitance measured at different voltages was expressed normalized to accessible linear fiber membrane capacitance. In control fibers it was strongly voltage dependent. Both the magnitude and steepness of the function were markedly reduced by adding tetracaine, which removed a component in agreement with earlier reports for q gamma charge. In contrast, detubulated fibers had nonlinear capacitances resembling those of q beta charge, and were not affected by adding tetracaine. These findings are discussed in terms of a preferential localization of tetracaine-sensitive (q gamma) charge in transverse tubule membrane, in contrast to a more even distribution of the tetracaine-resistant (q beta) charge in both transverse tubule and surface membranes. These results suggest that q beta and q gamma are due to different molecules and that the movement of q gamma in the transverse tubule membrane is the voltage-sensing step in excitation-contraction coupling.


1994 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
D H Cox ◽  
K Dunlap

We have studied the inactivation of high-voltage-activated (HVA), omega-conotoxin-sensitive, N-type Ca2+ current in embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Voltage steps from -80 to 0 mV produced inward Ca2+ currents that inactivated in a biphasic manner and were fit well with the sum of two exponentials (with time constants of approximately 100 ms and > 1 s). As reported previously, upon depolarization of the holding potential to -40 mV, N current amplitude was significantly reduced and the rapid phase of inactivation all but eliminated (Nowycky, M. C., A. P. Fox, and R. W. Tsien. 1985. Nature. 316:440-443; Fox, A. P., M. C. Nowycky, and R. W. Tsien. 1987a. Journal of Physiology. 394:149-172; Swandulla, D., and C. M. Armstrong. 1988. Journal of General Physiology. 92:197-218; Plummer, M. R., D. E. Logothetis, and P. Hess. 1989. Neuron. 2:1453-1463; Regan, L. J., D. W. Sah, and B. P. Bean. 1991. Neuron. 6:269-280; Cox, D. H., and K. Dunlap. 1992. Journal of Neuroscience. 12:906-914). Such kinetic properties might be explained by a model in which N channels inactivate by both fast and slow voltage-dependent processes. Alternatively, kinetic models of Ca-dependent inactivation suggest that the biphasic kinetics and holding-potential-dependence of N current inactivation could be due to a combination of Ca-dependent and slow voltage-dependent inactivation mechanisms. To distinguish between these possibilities we have performed several experiments to test for the presence of Ca-dependent inactivation. Three lines of evidence suggest that N channels inactivate in a Ca-dependent manner. (a) The total extent of inactivation increased 50%, and the ratio of rapid to slow inactivation increased approximately twofold when the concentration of the Ca2+ buffer, EGTA, in the patch pipette was reduced from 10 to 0.1 mM. (b) With low intracellular EGTA concentrations (0.1 mM), the ratio of rapid to slow inactivation was additionally increased when the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was raised from 0.5 to 5 mM. (c) Substituting Na+ for Ca2+ as the permeant ion eliminated the rapid phase of inactivation. Other results do not support the notion of current-dependent inactivation, however. Although high intracellular EGTA (10 mM) or BAPTA (5 mM) concentrations suppressed the rapid phase inactivation, they did not eliminate it. Increasing the extracellular Ca2+ from 0.5 to 5 mM had little effect on this residual fast inactivation, indicating that it is not appreciably sensitive to Ca2+ influx under these conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


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