Purpose: Our aim was to examine the inhibitory effect of nilvadipine on voltage-gated calcium
(Ca) channels in solitary ganglion cells.
Methods: Eyes were excised from goldfish. Ganglion cells were enzymatically dissociated
from isolated retina. Whole-cell currents were recorded with the perforated-patch clamp technique.
Results: Depolarizing step pulses to more than –48 mV evoked a slowly inactivating inward
Ca current. The current-voltage relation for the nilvadipine-sensitive current was bellshaped,
and the peak current reached a maximum at –8 mV in the presence and absence of
nilvadipine. Nilvadipine block of voltage-gated Ca current was dose-dependent between 1
and 100 µM. The half-maximum inhibitory dose was 35 µM.
Conclusions: The inhibitory effect of orally administered nilvadipine on Ca channels had
a mild influence in ganglion cells.
