Ultra-slow voltage-dependent inactivation of the calcium current in guinea-pig and ferret ventricular myocytes

L-type Ca2+ current, iCa, has been recorded in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes at 36 degrees C using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Intracellular Ca2+ was buffered with ethylenebis(oxonitrilo)tetraacetate (EGTA). An increase in the rate of stimulation from 0.5 to 3 Hz resulted in an abrupt de...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pflügers Archiv 1994-08, Vol.428 (1), p.39-50
Main Authors: BOYETT, M. R, HONJO, H, HARRISON, S. M, ZANG, W.-J, KIRBY, M. S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Calcium Channels - metabolism
Cells, Cultured
Electrophysiology
Female
Ferrets
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Guinea Pigs
Heart
Heart Ventricles - cytology
Heart Ventricles - metabolism
Male
Membrane Potentials - physiology
Myocardium - cytology
Myocardium - metabolism
Patch-Clamp Techniques
Ventricular Function
Vertebrates: cardiovascular system
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Summary:L-type Ca2+ current, iCa, has been recorded in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes at 36 degrees C using the whole cell patch clamp technique. Intracellular Ca2+ was buffered with ethylenebis(oxonitrilo)tetraacetate (EGTA). An increase in the rate of stimulation from 0.5 to 3 Hz resulted in an abrupt decrease in iCa in the first beat at the high rate, followed by a progressive decrease (tau approx. 7 s) over the next 30 s. The changes were not the result of Ca(2+)-dependent inactivation, because similar changes occurred with either Ba2+ or Na+ as the charge carrier. During 20-s voltage clamp pulses there was an ultra-slow phase of inactivation of Ba2+ or Na+ current through the Ca2+ channel (tau approx. 6 s at 0 mV). This was confirmed by applying test pulses after conditioning pulses of different duration: the Ba2+ current during the test pulse decreased progressively when the duration of the conditioning pulse was increased progressively to 20 s. Ultra-slow inactivation of Ba2+ current was voltage dependent and increased monotonically at more positive potentials. Recovery of Ba2+ current from ultra-slow inactivation occurred with a time constant of 3.7 s at -40 mV and 0.7 s at -80 mV. The gradual decrease in iCa on increasing the rate to 3 Hz may have been the result of the development of ultra-slow voltage-dependent inactivation.
ISSN:0031-6768
1432-2013
DOI:10.1007/bf00374750