On the Apparent Absence of Maxi-K + Channel in Rat Aortic Myocyte

Abstract

Abstract

In cultured rat aortic myocytes, no high-conductance Ca²⁺- and voltage-dependent K⁺ channels (maxi-K⁺ channels) such as those found in the human and rabbit were observed. However, we have found that in freshly dissociated rat aortic myocytes, the activities of high-conductance Ca²⁺- and voltage-dependent channels were present and predominant. In cell-attached patches measured with pipettes filled with normal saline solution, their single channel conductances were 139.6 ± 2.5 picosiemens (mean ± SE). Under the 140-mM symmetrical K⁺ condition (both bath and pipette solutions contained 140 mM KCI), that measurement became 207.2 ± 3.6 picosiemens and increased by about 50% with detaching of the membrane patch. The relative conductances of the channel to K⁺, NH₄ ⁺, and Rb⁺ were 1:0.61:0.48. The conductance of these channels can readily be reduced by more than 90% by extracellularly applied 0.5 mM tetraethylammonium chloride. These characteristics show that they were maxi-K⁺ channels.