Large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in neonatal rat intracardiac ganglion neurons

Abstract.

The properties of single Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (BK) channels in neonatal rat intracardiac neurons were investigated using the patch-clamp recording technique. In symmetrical 140 mM K⁺, the single-channel slope conductance was linear in the voltage range –60/+60 mV, and was 207±19 pS. Na⁺ ions were not measurably permeant through the open channel. Channel activity increased with the cytoplasmic free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) with a Hill plot giving a half-saturating [Ca²⁺] (K _0.5) of 1.35 µM and slope of ≅3. The BK channel was inhibited reversibly by external tetraethylammonium (TEA) ions, charybdotoxin, and quinine and was resistant to block by 4-aminopyridine and apamin. Ionomycin (1–10 µM) increased BK channel activity in the cell-attached recording configuration. The resting activity was consistent with a [Ca²⁺]_i <100 nM and the increased channel activity evoked by ionomycin was consistent with a rise in [Ca²⁺]_i to ≥0.3 µM. TEA (0.2–1 mM) increased the action potential duration ≅1.5-fold and reduced the amplitude and duration of the afterhyperpolarization (AHP) by 26%. Charybdotoxin (100 nM) did not significantly alter the action potential duration or AHP amplitude but reduced the AHP duration by ≅40%. Taken together, these data indicate that BK channel activation contributes to the action potential and AHP duration in rat intracardiac neurons.