Physiological significance of hyperpolarization-activated inward currents (I _h) in smooth muscle cells from the circular layers of pregnant rat myometrium

Abstract.

The properties of hyperpolarization-activated current in pregnant rat uterus (17–19 days gestation) were investigated using microelectrode and patch-clamp techniques, and isometric tension recording. The resting membrane potentials were –58.4 mV and –48.5 mV in longitudinal and circular muscle cells, respectively. Application of hyperpolarizing current pulses produced a time-dependent anomalous inward rectification of membrane potential only in circular muscle cells. Under voltage-clamp conditions, inward currents (I _h) were activated by long hyperpolarizing pulses below –60 mV in circular but not in longitudinal muscle cells. Application of extracellular but not intracellular Cs⁺ reduced the amplitude of I _h in a concentration-dependent manner (an IC₅₀ of 0.15 mM). The reversal potential for I _h was –26.2 mV and the slope conductance was 5 nS/pF. Changes in [K⁺]_o and [Na⁺]_o shifted the reversal potential, and I _h amplitude increased with excess [K⁺]_o and decreased with low [Na⁺]_o. The steady-state activation of I _h was well fitted by a Boltzmann equation with a half-activation potential of –84.3 mV and a slope factor of 9.6 mV. Time courses of activation and deactivation of the current strongly depended on membrane potential, and were well fitted by a single exponential function. The activation time constant of I _h was dependent on temperature. In isometric tension recording, application of extracellular Cs⁺ to the circular muscles reduced the frequency, but not the amplitude, of spontaneous contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. It is concluded that in pregnant rat uterus I _h channels are predominantly distributed in smooth muscle cells from the circular layer. Since I _h is activated at the resting membrane potential, it is likely that this current contributes to the maintenance of resting membrane potential and spontaneous activity in circular smooth muscle cells of late pregnant rats.