Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Membrane currents in cardiac pacemaker tissue

  • Cardiac Electrophysiology: Past, Present and Future Part II
  • Published:
Experientia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The present work is a brief survey of the mechanism of the cardiac pacemaker in sinoatrial node cells. Information on the pacemaker mechanism in cardiac tissue has been greatly enhanced by the development of the single cell isolation technique and the patch clamp technique. These methods circumvent to a large extent the difficulties involved in voltage clamping multicellular preparations. The calcium current (ICa), delayed rectifier potassium current (IK), transient outward current (Ito; IA), and the hyperpolarization activated inward current (Ih or If) were found both in whole cell preparations and in single channel analysis. The physiological significance of these currents, together with the exchange current systems for the pacemaker depolarization are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Armstrong, C. M., and Matteson, D. R., Two distinct populations of calcium channels in a clonal line of pituitary cells. Science227 (1985) 65–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bean B. P., Two kinds of calcium channels in canine atrial cells. Differences in kinetics, selectivity, and pharmacology. J. gen. Physiol.86 (1985) 1–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brown, H. F., DiFrancesco, D., and Noble, S. J., How does adrenaline accelaerate the heart? Nature280 (1979) 235–236.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Brown, H. F., and DiFrancesco, D., Voltage clamp investigations of membrane currents underlying pacemaker activity in rabbit sinoatrial node. J. Physiol.308 (1980) 331–351.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Brown, H. F., Electrophysiology of the sinoatrial node. Physiol. Rev.62 (1982) 505–530.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Brown, H. F., Noble, D., Noble, S. J., and Taupignon, A. I., Relationship between the transient inward current and slow inward currents in the sino-atrial node of the rabbit. J. Physiol.370 (1986) 299–315.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Brown, H. F., DiFrancesco, D., and Tromba, C., Recording of single if channels in isolated rabbit sino-atrial node cells. J. Physiol.377 (1986) 1–111.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Carbone, E., and Lux, H. D., A low voltage-activated, fully inactivating Ca channel in vertebrate sensory neurones. Nature310 (1984) 501–502.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cavalie, A., Ochi, R., Pelzer, D., and Trautwein, W., Elementary currents through Ca2+ channels in guinea-pig myocytes. Pflügers Arch.398 (1983) 284–297.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cognard, C., Lazdunski, M., and Romey, G., Different types of Ca2+ channels in mammalian skeletal muscle cells in culture. Proc. natl Acad. Sci. USA83 (1986) 517–521.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Colquhoun, D., Neher, E., Reuter, H., and Stevens, C. F., Inward current channels activated by intracellular Ca in cultured cardiac cells. Nature294 (1981) 752–754.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Connor, J., and Stevens, C. F., Voltage clamp studies of a transient outward membrane current in gastropod neural somata. J. Physiol.213 (1971) 21–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Danielson, B. G., The distribution of some electrolytes in the heart. Acta physiol. scand.62 Suppl. 236 (1964) 1–115.

    Google Scholar 

  14. DiFrancesco, D., Ferroni, A., Mazzanti, M., and Tromba, C. Properties of the hyperpolarization-activated current (if) in cells isolated from the rabbit sino-atrial node. J. Physiol.377 (1986) 61–88.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Egan, T., Noble, D., Noble, S. J., Powell, T., and Twist, V. W., Separation of calcium and [Ca]i activated current in guinea-pig and rabbit ventricular cells. J. Physiol. (1987) in press.

  16. Fedida, D., Noble, D., Shimoni, Y., and Spindler, A. J., Slow inward currents related to contraction in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. J. Physiol. (1987) in press.

  17. Gadsby, D. C., Kimura, J., and Noma, A., Voltage dependence of Na/K pump current in isolated heart cells. Nature315 (1985) 63–65.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Giles, W. R., and van Ginneken, A. C. G., A transient outward current in isolated cells from the crista terminalis of rabbit heart. J. Physiol.368 (1985) 243–264.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Giles, W. R., and Shibata, E. F., Voltage clamp of bull-frog cardiac pacemaker cells: a quantitative analysis of potassium currents. J. Physiol.368 (1985) 265–292.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Grant, A. O., and Strass, H. C., Intracellular potassium activity in rabbit sinoatrial node: evaluation during spontaneous activity and arrest. Circ. Res.51 (1982) 271–279.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Hagiwara, N., Kameyama, M., and Irisawa, H., Transient type calcium current contributes to the pacemaker potential. J. Physiol., Proc. Sept. meeting, 1986.

  22. Hagiwara, S., Kusano, K., and Saito, S. Membrane changes on onchidium nerve cell in potassium-rich media. J. Physiol.155 (1961) 470–489.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Hess, P., Lansman, J. B., and Tsien, R. W., Different modes of Ca channel gating behaviour favoured by dihydropyridine Ca agonist and antagonists. Nature311 (1984) 538–544.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Irisawa, H., Electrical activity of rabbit sino-atrial node as studied by a double sucrose gap method, in: Proceedings of the Satellite Symposium of the XXVth International Congress of Physiological Science The Electrical Field of the Heart, pp. 242–248. Ed. P. Rijilant, Press Académiques Européenes, Bruxelles 1972.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Irisawa, H., and Noma, A., Miniature fluctuation of the membrane potential in the rabbit sinoatrial node cell. Proc. int. Union physiol. Sci.8 (1977) 1015.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Irisawa, H., Comparative physiology of the cardiac pacemaker mechanism. Physiol. Rev.58 (1978) 461–498.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Irisawa, H., and Kokubun, S., Modulation by intracellular ATP and cyclic AMP of the slow inward current in isolated single ventricular cells of the guinea-pig. J. Physiol.338 (1983) 321–337.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Kakei, M., and Noma, A., Adenosine 5′-triphosphate-sensitive single potassium channel in the A-V node cell of the rabbit heart. J. Physiol.352 (1984) 265–284.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Kameyama, M., Kakei, R., Sato, R., Shibasaki, T., Matuda, H., and Irisawa, H., Intracellular Na+ activates a K+ channel in mammalian cardiac cells. Nature309 (1984) 354–356.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kass, R. S., Tsien, R. W., and Weingart, R., Ionic basis of transient inward current induced by strophanthidin in cardiac Purkinje fibres. J. Physiol.281 (1978) 209–226.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Kimura, J., Miyamae, S., and Noma, A., Identification of sodium-calcium exchange current in single ventricular cells of guinea-pig. J. Physiol. (1987) in press.

  32. Kokubun, S., Nishimura, M., Noma, A., and Irisawa, H., Membrane currents in the rabbit atrioventricular node cell. Pflügers Arch.393 (1982) 15–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Matsuda, H., Noma, A., Kurachi, Y., and Irisawa, H., Transient depolarization and spontaneous voltage fluctuations in isolated single cells from guinea pig ventricles. Circ. Res.51 (1982) 142–151.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Matsuda, H., and Noma, A., Isolation of calcium channel current and its sensitivity to monovalent cations in internally dialysed ventricular cells of guinea pig. J. Physiol.357 (1984) 553–573.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Maylie, J., and Morad, M., Ionic currents responsible for generation of pacemaker current in rabbit sino-atrial node. J. Physiol.355 (1984) 215–235.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Mitra, R., and Morad, M., Evidence for two types of calcium channels in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes. J. gen. Physiol.86 (1985) 22–23a.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Nakamura, S., Hama, K., Asai, J., and Irisawa, H., Observations on the fine structure of nodal, Purkinje and working myocardial cells isolated from rabbit hearts. Arch. hist. jap.49 (1986) 105–116.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Nakayama, T., Kurachi, Y., Noma, A., and Irisawa, H., Action potential and membrane currents of single pacemaker cells of the rabbit heart. Pflügers Arch.402 (1984) 248–257.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Nakayama, T., and Irisawa, H., Transient outward current carried by potassium and sodium in quiescent atrioventricular node of rabbits. Circ. Res.57 (1985) 65–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Nathan, R. D., Two electrophysiologically distinct types of cultured pacemaker cells from rabbit sinoatrial node. Am. J. Physiol.250 (1986) (Heart Circ. Physiol. 19) H325–329.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Nilius, B., Hess, P., Lansman, J. B., and Tsien, R. W., A novel type of cardiac calcium channel in ventricular cells. Nature316 (1985) 443–446.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Nilius, B., Possible functional significance of a novel type of cardiac Ca channel. Biochim. biophys. Acta (1986) in press.

  43. Noble, D., The surprising heart: A review of recent progress in cardiac electrophysiology. J. Physiol.353 (1984) 1–50.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Noble, D., and Noble, S. J., A model of sino-atrial node electrical activity based on a modification of DiFrancesco-Noble (1984) equations. Proc. R. Soc. B222 (1984) 295–304.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Noma, A., ATP regulated K+ channels in cardiac muscle. Nature305 (1983) 147–148.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Noma, A., and Irisawa, H., Membrane currents in the rabbit sinoatrial node cell as studied by the double microelectrode method. Pflügers Arch.364 (1976a) 45–52.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Noma, A., and Irisawa, H., A time and voltage dependent potassium current in the rabbit sinoatrial node cell. Pflügers Arch. 366 (1976b) 251–258.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Noma, A., Kotake, H., and Irisawa, H., Slow inward current and its role mediating the chronotropic effect of epinephrine in the rabbit sinoatrial node. Pflügers Arch.388 (1980) 1–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Noma, A., Morad, M., and Irisawa, H., Does the ‘pacemaker current’ generate the diastolic depolarization in rabbit S-A node cells? Pflügers Arch.397 (1983) 190–194.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Noma, A., Nakayama, T., Kurachi, Y., and Irisawa, H., Resting K conductances in pacemaker and non-pacemaker heart cells of the rabbit. Jap. J. Physiol.34 (1984) 245–254.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Nowycky, M. C., Fox, A. P., and Tsien, R. W., Three types of neuronal calcium channel with different calcium agonist sensitivity. Nature316 (1985) 440–443.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Reuter, H., Kokubun, S., and Prod'hom, B., Properties and modulation of cardiac calcium channels. J. exp. Biol. (1987) in press.

  53. Sackmann, B., Noma, A., and Trautwein, W., Acetylcholine activation of single muscarinic K+ channels in isolated pacemaker cells of mammalian heart. Nature303 (1983) 250–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Shibasaki, T., and Irisawa, H., Single delayed rectifier K channels in pacemaker cells of rabbit heart. Proc. int. Union physiol. Sci.16 (1986) P266.07.

    Google Scholar 

  55. Soejima, M., and Noma, A., Regulation of the K channel by the muscarinic receptor in the rabbit atrial cells. Pflügers Arch.400 (1984) 424–431.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Toda, N., and West, T. C., Interactions of K, Na and vagal stimulation in S-A node of the rabbit. Am. J. Physiol.212 (1967) 416–423.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Yanagihara, K., and Irisawa, H., Inward current activated during hyperpolarization in the rabbit sinoatrial node cell. Pflügers Arch.385 (1980a) 11–19.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Yanagihara, K., and Irisawa, H., Potassium current during the pacemaker depolarization in rabbit sinoatrial node cell. Pflügers Arch.388 (1980b) 255–260.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Yanagihara, K., Noma, A., and Irisawa, H., Reconstruction of sinoatrial node pacemaker potential based on the voltage clamp experiments. Jap. J. Physiol.30 (1980) 841–857.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 444, Okazaki Aichi Prefecture, Japan

    H. Irisawa

Authors
  1. H. Irisawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Irisawa, H. Membrane currents in cardiac pacemaker tissue. Experientia 43, 1131–1135 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01945510

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01945510

Key words

Search

Navigation