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Ionic currents in secondary sensory hair cells isolated from the statocysts of squid and cuttlefish

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Abstract

Mechanosensitive hair cells in the statocysts of cephalopods underlie a sophisticated detection system for linear and angular accelerations. To investigate the operation of this system, secondary sensory hair cells were dissociated from the sensory epithelia of these statocysts and their voltage sensitive ionic conductances identified and characterized under whole cell voltage clamp.

All secondary hair cells showed two outward potassium conductances; first, a current similar to the previously described delayed rectifier, IK and second, a current similar to the molluscan A current, IA. A small number of hair cells (15%) also showed an inward sodium current; the presence of this current was correlated with the presence of small membrane extensions at the base of the cell. The sodium current could be blocked by TTX and was abolished by substituting choline for sodium in the external medium. An inward L-type, calcium current was also identified. This current showed rapid activation, with little inactivation, could be carried by barium ions, and was blocked by Nifedipine in the external solution.

These data provide the first information on the ionic conductances in the basolateral membranes of invertebrate secondary sensory hair cells and form a basis for comparison with analogous vertebrate hair cells.

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  1. The Marine Biological Association of the UK, PL1 2PB, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, England

    R. Williamson

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Williamson, R. Ionic currents in secondary sensory hair cells isolated from the statocysts of squid and cuttlefish. J Comp Physiol A 177, 261–271 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192416

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