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Giga-seal formation alters properties of sodium channels of human myoballs

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Abstract

The influence of giga-seal formation on the properties of the Na+ channels within the covered membrane patch was investigated with a whole-cell pipette and a patch pipette applied to the same cell. Current kinetics, current/voltage relation and channel densities were determined in three combinations: (i) voltage-clamping and current recording with the whole-cell pipette, (ii) voltage-clamping with the whole-cell pipette and current recording with the patch pipette and, (iii) voltage-clamping and current recording with the patch pipette. The Hodgkin-Huxley (1952) parameters τm and τh were smaller for the patch currents than for the whole cell, and the h ∞ curve was shifted in the negative direction. The channel density was of the order of 10 times smaller. All effects were independent of the extracellular Ca2+ concentration. The capacitive current generated in the patch by the whole-cell Na+ current and its effect on the transmembrane voltage of the patch were evaluated. The kinetic parameters of the Na+ channels in the patch did not depend on whether the voltage was clamped with the whole-cell pipette or the patch pipette. Thus, the results are not due to spurious voltage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung für Allgemeine Physiologie der Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, W-7900, Ulm, Federal Republic of Germany

    Ch. Fahlke & R. Rüdel

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  1. Ch. Fahlke
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  2. R. Rüdel
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Fahlke, C., Rüdel, R. Giga-seal formation alters properties of sodium channels of human myoballs. Pflügers Arch 420, 248–254 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00374454

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00374454

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