Measurement and simulation of noninactivating Ca current in smooth muscle cells

1989 ◽  
Vol 256 (4) ◽  
pp. C880-C885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Imaizumi ◽  
K. Muraki ◽  
M. Takeda ◽  
M. Watanabe

An attempt was made to obtain electrophysiological evidence for continuous influx of Ca ion through voltage-dependent Ca channel (VDCC) in smooth muscle during long depolarization, for example in high K solution. Noninactivated Ca current [ICa(ni)] remaining after the accomplishment of voltage-dependent inactivation by prolonged depolarization for approximately 1 min was detected by three means under whole cell voltage clamp in several types of smooth muscle cells. The measurement of ICa(ni) was performed by micropuff application of Cd2+ or Ca2+ in the presence or absence of 5 mM extracellular Ca, respectively, or jump of extracellular Ca concentration [( Ca]o). The current-voltage relationship of ICa(ni) evaluated by these means had a peak at approximately -10 mV. The peak amplitude ranged from 5 to 25 pA, depending on whether the cells were isolated from guinea pig urinary bladder, ureter, vas deferens, taenia caecum, or rabbit portal vein. The ICa(ni) may be large enough to explain sustained contraction in high K solution, at least in these smooth muscle tissues. A window current simulated from the steady-state activation and inactivation curves and the maximum conductance of Ca current (ICa) in these cells suggests a theoretical basis for the observed ICa(ni).

1995 ◽  
Vol 268 (2) ◽  
pp. H544-H549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Hirakawa ◽  
T. Kuga ◽  
S. Kobayashi ◽  
H. Kanaide ◽  
A. Takeshita

The purpose of the present study was to investigate regulation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels by serotonin in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in primary culture. L- and T-type Ca2+ currents (ICa) were recorded using the whole cell voltage-clamp method. Without pretreatment, in 25 of 30 cells examined, 10 microM serotonin decreased L-type ICa to various extents (-14 to -72%). However, in the remaining five cells, serotonin increased L-type ICa 21 +/- 4%. Thus, in 30 cells, serotonin decreased L-type ICa an average of 22 +/- 5%. In the presence of intracellular heparin (100 micrograms/ml), a blocker of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding to its receptor, serotonin increased L-type ICa in all cells 29 +/- 3% (n = 6). When stored Ca2+ was depleted by pretreatment either with 20 microM ryanodine and 20 mM caffeine or with 100 nM A-23187, serotonin also increased L-type ICa in all cells 30 +/- 5 (n = 4) or 37 +/- 5% (n = 12), respectively. In the presence of heparin, the serotonin-induced increase of L-type ICa was prevented by 100 nM staurosporine (2 +/- 3%; n = 6, P < 0.01). The serotonin-induced decrease of L-type ICa was significantly augmented by 100 nM staurosporine (-43 +/- 10%; n = 5). Phorbol 12,13-dibutylate (PDBu; 1 microM) increased L-type ICa 29 +/- 3% (n = 6), and serotonin did not further increase L-type ICa after its potentiation by PDBu.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


2013 ◽  
Vol 304 (11) ◽  
pp. C1042-C1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun A. Ko ◽  
Jun Wan ◽  
Aya Yamamura ◽  
Adriana M. Zimnicka ◽  
Hisao Yamamura ◽  
...  

Electromechanical coupling via membrane depolarization-mediated activation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels (VDCC) is an important mechanism in regulating pulmonary vascular tone, while mouse is an animal model often used to study pathogenic mechanisms of pulmonary vascular disease. The function of VDCC in mouse pulmonary artery (PA) smooth muscle cells (PASMC), however, has not been characterized, and their functional role in reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated regulation of vascular function remains unclear. In this study, we characterized the electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of VDCC in PASMC and the divergent effects of ROS produced by xanthine oxidase (XO) and hypoxanthine (HX) on VDCC in PA and mesenteric artery (MA). Our data show that removal of extracellular Ca2+ or application of nifedipine, a dihydropyridine VDCC blocker, both significantly inhibited 80 mM K+-mediated PA contraction. In freshly dissociated PASMC, the maximum inward Ca2+ currents were −2.6 ± 0.2 pA/pF at +10 mV (with a holding potential of −70 mV). Window currents were between −40 and +10 mV with a peak at −15.4 mV. Nifedipine inhibited currents with an IC50 of 0.023 μM, and 1 μM Bay K8644, a dihydropyridine VDCC agonist, increased the inward currents by 61%. XO/HX attenuated 60 mM K+-mediated increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) due to Ca2+ influx through VDCC in PASMC. Exposure to XO/HX caused relaxation in PA preconstricted by 80 mM K+ but not in aorta and MA. In contrast, H2O2 inhibited high K+-mediated increase in [Ca2+]cyt and caused relaxation in both PA and MA. Indeed, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed significantly lower expression of CaV1.3 in MA compared with PA. Thus our study characterized the properties of VDCC and demonstrates that ROS differentially regulate vascular contraction by regulating VDCC in PA and systemic arteries.


1992 ◽  
Vol 337 (1279) ◽  
pp. 37-47 ◽  

Smooth muscle cells from rat aorta were cultured in defined, serum-free medium and studied using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Under conditions designed to isolate currents through Ca channels, step depolarizations produced inward currents which were fast in onset and inactivated rapidly, with little sustained inward current being observed. Both Ni and Cd blocked these currents, with Ni being effective at 50 μM. Removal of external Na or addition of 1 μM tetrodotoxin had no effect. Peak inward currents were attained at about —15 mV, with half-maximal activation at —41 mV using —80 mV holding potentials. The transient inward currents were reduced by depolarized holding potentials, with half-maximal steady-state inactivation at —48 mV. In three of the 98 cells studied, small maintained inward currents were observed with a —40 mV holding potential. The Ca channel antagonist nicardipine (5 μM ) blocked the transient inward current while neither of the dihydropyridine Ca channel agonists S( + )202 791 and ( — )BAY K 8644 produced a significant augmentation of sustained inward current. At 10 μM, both noradrenaline and adrenaline but not phenylephrine decreased the peak inward current. This inhibition was unaffected by a variety of adrenoceptor antagonists and was also observed when internal solutions having high Ca buffering capacity were used, but was absent when GDP-β-S instead of GTP was included in the pipette solution. The main conclusions from this study are that under our cell culture conditions, rat aortic smooth muscle cells possess predominately a transient, low-threshold-activated inward Ca current and that this Ca current is inhibited by certain adrenoceptor agonists but with a quite atypical adrenoceptor antagonist pharmacology.


1990 ◽  
Vol 259 (6) ◽  
pp. L384-L395 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. I. Kotlikoff

The electrical properties of dissociated canine tracheal smooth muscle cells were examined using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. In current clamp mode, current clamp steps did not initiate action potentials but showed clear outward rectification, which was abolished when cells were loaded with Cs+ ions and when tetraethylammonium (TEA+) ions replaced Na+ in the bath solution. In voltage-clamp experiments, depolarizations positive to -45 mV evoked brief voltage-dependent inward Ca2+ currents [Am. J. Physiol. 254 (Cell Physiol. 23): C793-C801, 1988], followed by sustained outward currents, which did not completely inactivate. Outward currents were identified as K+ currents on the basis of the reversal potential of the current and by ion-substitution experiments. The currents were further defined as Ca2(+)-insensitive delayed rectifier currents, since they were unaltered under conditions in which 1) the Ca2+ current was completely blocked by Mn2+ or nifedipine (10 microM); 2) Ba2+ ions were substituted for Ca2+ as the inward current charge carrier; or 3) charybdotoxin (40 nM) or TEA+ (up to 10 mM) were added to the bath. A Ca2(+)-activated potassium [K(Ca)] current was activated by application of methacholine (100 microM), or A23187 (1 microM), under conditions of low Ca2+ buffering capacity in the internal solution [0.3 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N-,N--tetraacetic acid (EGTA)]. The K(Ca) current was blocked by 10 mM TEA+ and was not observed under conditions of high intracellular Ca2+ buffering (11 mM EGTA). These data indicate that canine airway smooth muscle cells contain voltage-dependent delayed rectifier channels that underlie membrane rectification and K(Ca) channels that are activated by agents which release intracellular Ca2+ stores.


Pharmacology ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitsuaki Yamazaki ◽  
Yusukelto Ito ◽  
Shougo Kuze ◽  
Nobuko Shibuya ◽  
Yasunori Momose

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document