scholarly journals Characterization of receptors mediating the actions of dopamine on an identified inhibitory motoneurone of the cockroach

1991 ◽  
Vol 155 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Davis ◽  
R. M. Pitman

1. The effects of a number of dopaminergic agonists and antagonists upon the soma of a prothoracic inhibitory motoneurone of the cockroach (Periplaneta americana) have been recorded under voltage-clamp conditions. 2. Dopamine generates inward currents that are extremely voltage-dependent: currents increase rapidly at membrane potentials more negative than about −120 to −150 mV and also show a peak at membrane potentials of approximately −20 mV. As a result of this voltage-dependence, dopamine induces a region of negative resistance in the current-voltage relationship of the neurone. 3. The dopaminergic agonists apomorphine, bromocriptine, ergometrine and A-6,7-DTN mimic the action of dopamine on this neurone, all having a similar voltage-dependence to that of dopamine. The selective D-1 receptor agonist SK&F82526 and the D-2 agonist LY 171555, however, were both inactive on the preparation. 4. Responses to dopamine were suppressed by a number of D-1 and D-2 receptor antagonists, indicating that the pharmacological profile of the dopamine-sensitive receptor in this insect preparation is different from that of vertebrate dopamine receptors.

2002 ◽  
Vol 715 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Louro ◽  
A. Fantoni ◽  
Yu. Vygranenko ◽  
M. Fernandes ◽  
M. Vieira

AbstractThe bias voltage dependent spectral response (with and without steady state bias light) and the current voltage dependence has been simulated and compared to experimentally obtained values. Results show that in the heterostructures the bias voltage influences differently the field and the diffusion part of the photocurrent. The interchange between primary and secondary photocurrent (i. e. between generator and load device operation) is explained by the interaction of the field and the diffusion components of the photocurrent. A field reversal that depends on the light bias conditions (wavelength and intensity) explains the photocurrent reversal. The field reversal leads to the collapse of the diode regime (primary photocurrent) launches surface recombination at the p-i and i-n interfaces which is responsible for a double-injection regime (secondary photocurrent). Considerations about conduction band offsets, electrical field profiles and inversion layers will be taken into account to explain the optical and voltage bias dependence of the spectral response.


1992 ◽  
Vol 262 (1) ◽  
pp. C75-C83 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Follmer ◽  
N. J. Lodge ◽  
C. A. Cullinan ◽  
T. J. Colatsky

The effects of cadmium on the delayed outward potassium current (IK) were investigated in isolated cat ventricular myocytes using the single suction pipette voltage-clamp technique. IK activation was examined using peak tail currents elicited after 750-ms voltage-clamp steps to selected membrane potentials from a holding potential of -40 mV. In the presence of Cd2+ (0.2 mM), peak tail currents increased from a control value of 85 +/- 12 to 125 +/- 18 pA (n = 4). Activation curves constructed from the average peak tail-current measurements in all experiments showed that Cd2+ shifted the voltage dependence of activation to more positive potentials by 16.4 +/- 2.0 mV and increased the slope factor of the activation curve from 6.1 +/- 0.2 to 6.9 +/- 0.2 mV. In the absence of Cd2+, increases in holding potential from -30 to -70 mV had no effect on the magnitude of the peak tail currents, suggesting that the Cd(2+)-induced increase was not the result of a voltage-dependent increase in the number of available K+ channels at the holding potential. Slow voltage ramps from -70 to +70 mV revealed that Cd2+ increased the outward current at membrane potentials positive to +20 mV and shifted the voltage range in which IK inwardly rectified to more positive potentials. The fully activated current-voltage relationship was also shifted to more positive potentials by Cd2+. Cd2+ did not alter channel selectivity for K+.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1994 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Bayliss ◽  
F. Viana ◽  
M. C. Bellingham ◽  
A. J. Berger

1. Single-electrode voltage clamp recordings in a rat brain stem slice preparation were used to determine the characteristics and postnatal development of a hyperpolarization-activated inward current (Ih) in hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs). 2. In young adult HMs (> P21), a noninactivating, time- and voltage-dependent inward current was evident during hyperpolarizing voltage steps to membrane potentials negative to approximately -65 mV from depolarized holding potentials [Vh = -56.2 +/- 1.0 (SE) mV]. The averaged reversal potential (Erev) of the inward current, estimated using an extrapolation procedure, was -38.8 +/- 2.9 mV (n = 5), suggesting that a mixed cationic current underlies inward rectification in HMs. 3. The voltage dependence of Ih activation was determined from tail current relaxations that followed a family of voltage steps to different membrane potentials. Normalized tail current amplitudes were well-fitted with a single Boltzman function with a half-activation at -79.8 +/- 0.7 mV and slope factor = 5.3 +/- 0.3 (n = 8). 4. Time constants of Ih activation and deactivation were voltage-dependent. Activation proceeded more quickly with larger hyperpolarizing voltage steps; time constants averaged 389, 181, and 134 ms at -69, -82, and -95 mV, respectively (n = 6). Ih deactivated during depolarizing voltage steps from hyperpolarized holding potentials. Deactivation was faster with larger depolarizing steps; time constants averaged 321, 215, and 107 ms at -80, -71, and -62 mV, respectively (n = 4). 5. Ih was sensitive to extracellular cesium but relatively insensitive to extracellular barium. The current amplitude near half-activation (approximately -84 mV) was almost completely blocked (to 11% of control) by Cs+ (3 mM, n = 3) but was reduced to only 85 and 60% in 0.5 (n = 2) and 2 mM Ba2+ (n = 3), respectively. 6. There was a marked increase in the amplitude of Ih during postnatal development of HMs. Measured near half-activation, Ih was approximately 10-fold larger in adult (> or = P21; n = 20) than in neonatal HMs (< or = P8; n = 7). Input conductance (GN) was only threefold higher in the same sample of HMs. There were no apparent differences in the voltage dependence or Erev of Ih between neonatal and older HMs. These results suggest that the increased amplitude of Ih results from an increase in Ih current density.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 241-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Muller ◽  
H. D. Lux

1. Numerical methods were used to evaluate voltage space-clamp performance in the investigation of a voltage-dependent inward current similar to the noninactivating Ca current. In addition, the cell is equipped with a repolarizing system, represented by leak and outwardly rectifying outward conductances. The electrotonically compact model cell is represented by a cable with an electrotonic length of 1 space constant under control conditions, but that becomes effectively only 0.33 space constants during a 90% reduction of the leak and outward conductance. The cable is perfectly voltage clamped at one end. 2. The apparent voltage dependence, activation, and inactivation of the clamp current depend on the distribution of the membrane slope conductance along the cable; this depends on 1) the distribution of the inward current along the cable and 2) the amplitude of the inward current relative to the amplitudes of the leak and voltage-dependent outward currents. 3. Under control conditions, the membrane voltage decays steeply with distance from the command voltage at the clamp site to almost resting potential for most of the rest of the cable. This is because the leak and outward current are dominant over the inward current. The inward current is activated primarily at the clamped part of the cable. Clamp currents are activated instantaneously. The clamp-current current-voltage (I-V) relation is less steep with depolarization because the membrane potential for locations away from the clamp site lags behind the clamp potential. 4. When the conductances for leak and outward current are reduced by 90%, these conductances lose their dominance. The membrane slope conductance now has a range with negative values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


1995 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 2043-2050 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. David ◽  
R. M. Pitman

1. Membrane currents have been examined in the cell body of the fast coxal depressor motor neuron (Df) of the cockroach Periplaneta americana with the use of two-electrode voltage clamp. 2. Most of the outward current induced by membrane depolarizations to between -40 and +80 mV was carried by K+ because it was blocked by external tetraethylammonium+ (TEA+; 20 mM) and internal Cs+. 3. Over the potential range -20 to +80 mV, a large proportion of this TEA+/Cs(+)-sensitive K+ current consisted of two temporal components, a transient outward current (IKtrans) and a sustained outward current (IKsus). IKtrans and a large proportion of IKsus appeared to be calcium-activated potassium currents (IK,Ca,trans and IK,Ca,sus, respectively) because these were suppressed by injecting ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), removing Ca2+ from the saline or replacing Ca2+ with Ba2+. After suppression of IK,Ca by internal EGTA or Ca(2+)-free saline, membrane depolarizations positive to -40 mV induced voltage-dependent outward currents (IK,V), which consisted of single-component outward relaxations. 4. When outward currents were blocked by external TEA+/internal Cs+, a voltage-dependent inward current consisting of a transient and a sustained component was observed over the potential range -40 to +40 mV. Both components of this inward current appeared to be carried by Ca2+ because they were blocked by external Cd2+ (1 mM), verapamil (0.1 mM), nifedipine (0.1 mM), or diltiazem (0.1 mM). 5. Both the transient component of the calcium current (ICa,trans) and the sustained component (ICa,sus) were maximal at 0 mV and present when Ca2+ in the saline were replaced by Ba2+. The inactivation of ICa,trans is voltage dependent, the rate of inactivation increasing with membrane depolarization. 6. The current-voltage relationships of Ca2+ currents differed from those of calcium-activated K+ currents. It is proposed that the discrepancy between these current-voltage relationships arises from the rapidity with which IK,Ca is saturated by Ca2+ entering through voltage-dependent channels and because the apparent reversal potential for ICa is not at ECa. 7. Although the similarity in the shape of IK,Ca and ICa might suggest that the time course of IK,Ca is determined by the kinetics of ICa, this appears unlikely in view of the rapid saturation of IK,Ca by Ca2+, which considerably outlasts the period of Ca2+ influx.


1991 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. O'Day ◽  
Cynthia L. Phillips

AbstractWe have examined some of the physiological effects associated with the replacement of extracellular Na+ with Li+ in nominally Ca2+-free saline in the ventral photoreceptors of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus. We observed that replacement of Na+ saline with Li+ saline induced larger voltage-activated inward currents with similar voltage dependence. These currents were absent in Tris+ saline. Anode-break excitation was maintained in Li+ saline but blocked in Tris+ saline. Regenerative events associated with quantum bumps in dark-adapted cells illuminated with dim lights were maintained in Li+ saline. Regenerative events associated with responses to moderately bright illumination were also maintained in Li+ saline. The post-illumination hyperpolarization associated with the Na+/K+-exchange pump (Brown & Lisman, 1972) was present after brief exposure to Li+ saline but disappeared after longer exposure. Following return to Na+ saline, the post-illumination hyperpolarization reappeared. We conclude that (1) Li+ permeates the voltage-dependent Na+ channel, GNa(V), in the photoreceptor plasma membrane; (2) Li+ supports voltage-activated physiological events normally mediated by Na+; and (3) Li+ substitution briefly supports and later inhibits the electrogenic effects of the Na+/K+-exchange pump. The effects of external Li+ on cellular physiology have implications for the interpretation of other studies employing Li+ extracellularly.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eedann McCord ◽  
Goragot Wisedchaisri ◽  
William A. Catterall

ABSTRACTVoltage-gated sodium channels initiate action potentials in prokaryotes and in many eukaryotic cells, including vertebrate nerve and muscle. Their activation is steeply voltage-dependent, but it is unclear how the voltage sensitivity is set or whether it can be broadly shifted to positive voltages. Here we show that the voltage dependence of activation (VA) of the ancestral bacterial sodium channel NaVAb can be progressively shifted from −118 mV to +35 mV in chimeras with increasing numbers of amino acid residues from the extracellular half of the voltage sensor of human NaV1.7 channels. In a minimal chimera in which only 32 residues were transferred, we analyzed the effects of six additional mutations of conserved amino acid residues singly, in pairs, and as triple mutations. The resulting chimeric mutants exhibited a broad range of voltage sensitivity from VA=−118 mV to VA=+120 mV. Three mutations (N48K, L112A, and M119V) shifted VA to +61 mV when substituted in NaVAb itself, and substitution of two additional Cys residues in the Cys-free background of NaVAb further shifted VA to +105 mV. In these mutants, measurement of gating currents revealed that the voltage dependence of gating charge movement (VQ) shifted to positive membrane potentials as much or more than VA, confirming that the gating charges are trapped in their resting positions by these VA-shifting mutations. Our results demonstrate broadband shifting of VA and VQ of a sodium channel across a range of 240 mV and provide a toolbox of methods and constructs to analyze sodium channel structure and function in the resting state at 0 mV and in activated states at positive membrane potentials.GRAPHICAL ABSTRACTThe complete range of broadband tuning of voltage-dependent activation of a sodium channel.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 680
Author(s):  
Xinzhou Wu ◽  
Zhouquan Wang ◽  
Yu Chen ◽  
Dehong Xu ◽  
Peng Zhang ◽  
...  

It has been reported that Heteropodatoxin3 (HpTx3), a peptidic neurotoxin purified from the venom of the spider species Heteropoda venatoria, could inhibit Kv4.2 channels. Our present study newly found that HpTx3 also has potent and selective inhibitory action on Nav1.7, with an IC50 of 135.61 ± 12.98 nM. Without effect on the current–voltage (I-V) relationship of Nav1.7, HpTx3 made minor alternation in the voltage-dependence of activation and steady-state inactivation of Nav1.7 (4.15 mV and 7.29 mV, respectively) by interacting with the extracellular S3–S4 loop (S3b–S4 sequence) in domain II and the domain IV of the Nav channel subtype, showing the characteristics of both pore blocker and gate modifier toxin. During the interaction of HpTx3 with the S3b–S4 sequence of Nav1.7, the amino acid residue D in the sequence played a key role. When administered intraperitoneally or intramuscularly, HpTx3 displayed potent analgesic activity in a dose-dependent manner in different mouse pain models induced by formalin, acetic acid, complete Freund’s adjuvant, hot plate, or spared nerve injury, demonstrating that acute, inflammatory, and neuropathic pains were all effectively inhibited by the toxin. In most cases HpTx3 at doses of ≥ 1mg/kg could produce the analgesic effect comparable to that of 1 mg/kg morphine. These results suggest that HpTx3 not only can be used as a molecular probe to investigate ion channel function and pain mechanism, but also has potential in the development of the drugs that treat the Nav1.7 channel-related pain.


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 1180-1194 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. S. Nisenbaum ◽  
C. J. Wilson ◽  
R. C. Foehring ◽  
D. J. Surmeier

1. Depolarization-activated, calcium-independent potassium (K+) currents were studied with the use of whole cell voltage-clamp recording from neostriatal neurons acutely isolated from adult (> or = 4 wk old) rats. The whole cell K+ current was composed of transient and persistent components. The aims of the experiments were to isolate the persistent component and then to characterize its voltage dependence and kinetics. 2. Application of 10 mM 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) completely blocked the transient currents while reducing the persistent current by approximately 40% [50% inhibitory concentration (IC50), of blockable current = 125 microM]. The persistent K+ current also was reduced by tetraethylammonium (TEA). Two components to the TEA block were present, having IC50s of 125 microM (23% of the blockable current) and 5.9 mM (77% of the blockable current). Collectively, these results suggested that the persistent components of the total K+ current was pharmacologically heterogeneous. The properties of the 4-AP-resistant, persistent K+ current (IKrp) were subsequently studied. 3. The kinetics of activation and deactivation of IKrp were voltage dependent. Examination of the entire activation/deactivation time constant profile showed that it was bell shaped, with time constants being moderately rapid (tau approximately 50 ms) at membrane potentials corresponding to the resting potential of neostriatal cells (approximately -80 mV), becoming considerably longer (tau approximately 100 ms) at potentials near the cells' spike thresholds (approximately -45 mV), and decreasing to a minimum (tau approximately 5 ms) at potentials associated with the peak of the cells' action potentials (approximately +20 mV). The inactivation kinetics of IKrp also were voltage dependent. The time constants of inactivation varied between 1 and 8 s at potentials between -10 and +35 mV. 4. Unlike persistent K+ currents in many other cell types, IKrp activated at relatively hyperpolarized membrane potentials (approximately -70 mV). The Boltzmann function describing activation had a half-activation voltage of -13 mV and a slope factor of 12 mV. In addition, the Boltzmann function describing the voltage dependence of inactivation of IKrp had a relatively depolarized half-inactivation voltage of -55 and a large slope factor of 19 mV, indicating that this current was available over a broad range of membrane potentials (between -100 and -10 mV). 5. Neostriatal neurons recorded in vivo exhibit subthreshold shifts in membrane potential of variable duration (tens of ms to s) from a hyperpolarized resting state to a depolarized state that is limited in amplitude just below spike threshold. The voltage dependence of activation and inactivation of IKrp indicates that it will be available on depolarization from the hyperpolarized state. However, the slow activation rate of this current suggests that it will contribute little either to limiting the amplitude of the initial depolarization associated with entry into the depolarized state or to depolarizing episodes of short duration (e.g., < 50 ms). However, IKrp should limit the amplitude of membrane depolarizations associated with prolonged excursions into the depolarized state.


2004 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 605-618 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Ursu ◽  
Ralph Peter Schuhmeier ◽  
Marc Freichel ◽  
Veit Flockerzi ◽  
Werner Melzer

Functional impacts of the skeletal muscle-specific Ca2+ channel subunit γ1 have previously been studied using coexpression with the cardiac α1C polypeptide in nonmuscle cells and primary-cultured myotubes of γ1-deficient mice. Data from single adult muscle fibers of γ−/− mice are not yet available. In the present study, we performed voltage clamp experiments on enzymatically isolated mature muscle fibers of the m. interosseus obtained from γ+/+ and γ−/− mice. We measured L-type Ca2+ inward currents and intracellular Ca2+ transients during 100-ms step depolarizations from a holding potential of −80 mV. Ratiometric Ca2+ transients were analyzed with a removal model fit approach to calculate the flux of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ca2+ current density, Ca2+ release flux, and the voltage dependence of activation of both Ca2+ current and Ca2+ release were not significantly different. By varying the holding potential and recording Ca2+ current and Ca2+ release flux induced by 100-ms test depolarizations to +20 mV, we studied quasi-steady-state properties of slow voltage–dependent inactivation. For the Ca2+ current, these experiments showed a right-shifted voltage dependence of inactivation. Importantly, we could demonstrate that a very similar shift occurred also in the inactivation curve of Ca2+ release. Voltages of half maximal inactivation were altered by 16 (current) and 14 mV (release), respectively. Muscle fiber bundles, activated by elevated potassium concentration (120 mM), developed about threefold larger contracture force in γ−/− compared with γ+/+. This difference was independent of the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and likely results from the lower sensitivity to voltage-dependent inactivation of Ca2+ release. These results demonstrate a specific alteration of voltage-dependent inactivation of both Ca2+ entry and Ca2+ release by the γ1 subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor in mature muscle fibers of the mouse.


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