• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2012

Under some pathological conditions as bile flow obstruction or liver diseases with the enterohepatic circulation being disrupted, regurgitation of bile acids into the systemic circulation occurs and the plasma level of bile acids increases. Bile acids in circulation may affect the nervous system. We examined this possibility by studying the effects of bile acids on gating of neuronal (N)-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel that is essential for neurotransmitter release at synapses of the peripheral and central nervous system. N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel currents were recorded from bullfrog sympathetic neuron under a cell-attached mode using 100 mM $Ba^{2+}$ as a charge carrier. Cholic acid (CA, $10^{-6}M$) that is relatively hydrophilic thus less cytotoxic was included in the pipette solution. CA suppressed the open probability of N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel, which appeared to be due to an increase in (no activity) sweeps. For example, the proportion of sweep in the presence of CA was ~40% at +40 mV as compared with ~8% in the control recorded without CA. Other single channel properties including slope conductance, single channel current amplitude, open and shut times were not significantly affected by CA being present. The results suggest that CA could modulate N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel gating at a concentration as low as $10^{-6}M$. Bile acids have been shown to activate nonselective cation conductance and depolarize the cell membrane. Under pathological conditions with increased circulating bile acids, CA suppression of N-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel function may be beneficial against overexcitation of the synapses.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.733-742
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• 1998

Background: We have previously reported that not only cGMP but also 8-Br-cGMP or 8-pCPT-cGMP, specific and potent stimulators of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP-PK), increased basal L-type calcium current $(I_{Ca})$ in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Our findings in rabbit ventricular myocytes were entirely different from the earlier findings in different species, suggesting that the activation of cGMP-PK is involved in the facilitation of $I_{Ca}}$ by cGMP. However, there is no direct evidence that cGMP-PK can stimulate $I_{Ca}}$ in rabbit ventricular myocytes. In this report, we focused on the direct effect of cGMP-PK on $I_{Ca}}$ in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Methods and Results: We isolated single ventricular myocytes of rabbit hearts by using enzymatic dissociation. Regulation of $I_{Ca}}$ by cGMP-PK was investigated in rabbit ventricular myocytes using whole-cell voltage clamp method. $I_{Ca}}$ was elicited by a depolarizing pulse to +10 mV from a holding potential of -40 mV. Extracellular 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio)-guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-pCPT-cGMP), potent stimulator of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (cGMP-PK), increased basal $I_{Ca}}$. cGMP-PK also increased basal $I_{Ca}}$. The stimulation of basal $I_{Ca}}$ by cGMP-PK required both 8-Br-cGMP in low concentration and intracellular ATP to be present. The stimulation of basal $I_{Ca}}$ by cGMP-PK was blocked by heat inactivation of the cGMP-PK and by bath application of 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, Rp-isomer (Rp-pCPT-cGMP), a phosphodiesterase-resistant cGMP-PK inhibitor. When $I_{Ca}}$ was increased by internal application of cGMP-PK, IBMX resulted in an additional stimulation of $I_{Ca}}$. In the presence of cGMP-PK, already increased $I_{Ca}}$ was potentiated by bath application of isoprenaline or forskolin or intracellular application of cAMP. Conclusions: We present evidence that cGMP-PK stimulated basal $I_{Ca}}$ by a direct phosphorylation of L-type calcium channel or associated regulatory protein in rabbit ventricular myocytes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2010

The feasibility of lead removal by electrolytic coprecipitation was investigated. Electrolysis bath was divided into anode and cathode chamber with anion exchange resin filled membrane. Sea water was electrolyzed and pH of the electrolyte in cathode chamber was increased. Consequently it induced the formation of $Mg(OH)_2$ and $CaCO_3$. The colloidal type precipitates, hich have high surface area, adsorbed lead ions in sea water and coprecipitated. Sea water electrolyses were conducted at different current density. Concentrations of Mg, Ca and Pb in the solution were measured with titration and ASV method. Morphology and crystallography were analyzed with SEM, EDS and XRD. As pH and current density increased, most of lead ions in the sea water were successfully removed.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.5C no.5
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• pp.204-210
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• 2005

Alternating current (AC) losses of two Bi-2223 ([Bi, Pb]: Sr: Ca: Cu: O = 2:2:2:3) tapes [(Tape I, un-twist-pitch) and the other with a twist-pitch of 10 mm (Tape II)] were measured and compared. These samples, produced by the powder-in-(Ag) tube (PIT) method, are multi-filamentary. Also, it's produced by non-twist and different twist pitch (8, 10, 13, 30, 50 and 70 mm). The critical current measurement was carried out under the environment in liquid Nitrogen and in zero-field by 4-probe method. Susceptibility measurements were conducted while cooling in a magnetic field. Flux loss measurements were conducted as a function of ramping rate, frequency and field direction. The AC flux loss increases as the twist-pitch of the tapes decreased, in agreement with the Norris Equation. Neutron-diffraction measurements have been carried out investigate the crystal structure, magnetic structures, and magnetic phase transitions in Bi-2223([Bi, Pb]:Sr:Ca:Cu:O)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.207-218
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• 1988

Effects of 1, 4-dihydropyridine compounds, such as nifedipine, nisoldipine, nitrendipine, and nimodipine which were calcium antagonists on the normal and Ca-dependent, slow channel mediated action potentials in the guinea pig's papillary muscle were investigated. The glass microelectrode was impaled into a papillary muscle cell for measurements of potential changes with the simultaneous tracing of isometric contraction. The concentration of Ca antagonists were 1 mg/l (nifedipine and nisoldipine), 2 mg/l (nitrendipine and nimodipine), which showed the maximal inhibition of isometric contraction (above 90%) and simultaneous effects on the normal action potentials and only the halves of those concentrations were sufficient to observe the effects on the calcium action potentials. The data for analysis were only chosen when the microelectrode was maintained in a cell throughout the experiments. 1, 4-Dihydropyridine compounds decreased the action potential duration but did not affect the resting membrane potential, overshoot, and upstroke velocity of the normal action potentials with the decrease in the isometric contraction. And with the decrease in the area and amplitude of isometric contraction, the area, amplitude, upstroke velocity and duration of Ca action potential was decreased. But the differences in the effects of the Ca antagonists were not observed. Therefore it is inferred that the changes in normal and Ca action potential induced by the 1, 4-dihydropyridine compounds with a common chemical structure would be caused by the slow inward Ca-current, not by a fast Na-current.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.158-163
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• 2010

Calumenin is a multiple EF-hand $Ca^{2+}$-binding protein located in the endo/sarcoplasmic reticulum of mammalian hearts. Calumenin belongs to the CREC family of $Ca^{2+}$-binding proteins having multiple EF-hands. $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of mammalian hearts is maintained by RyR2, SERCA2 and other associated SR resident proteins. Evidence suggests that calumenin interacts with RyR2 and SERCA2, and therefore changes in the expression of calumenin could alter $Ca^{2+}$ cycling in mouse heart. In this review, current knowledge of the biochemical and functional roles of calumenin in mouse heart is described.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 1987

The effects of higenamine were investigated in the single atrial and ventricular myocyte of the guinea pig by using patch clamp method. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Isoprenaline which is known to be ${\beta}-agonist$ increased the duration of action potential and calcium current in ventricular cells. 2) Higenamine also increased the duration of action potential and calcium current in ventricular myocytes. And its effect was blocked by propranolol. 3) In the atrial cells, isoprenaline showed ${\beta}-agonist$ effects, which were increasing the duration of action potential and calcium current same as in ventricular cells. 4) Higenamine, however, showed the opposite effects of ${\beta}-agonist$ which were decreasing the duration of action potential and calcium current. The above results suggest that higenamine has the typical ${\beta}-agonist$ effect in ventricular cells but inhibitory effect in atrial cells and this effect on atrium could be due to the reduction of calcium current.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1035-1040
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• 2003

High $T_{c}$ superconducting B $i_2$S $r_2$CaC $u_2$ $O_{8+d}$ (BSCCO2212) films were prepared by a metallorganic decomposition (MOD) method. The metal organic solution of BSCCO2212 was spin-coated on MgO (100) substrates at 3000 rpm for 1 min. To achieve a high critical current density, we controlled heat-treatment conditions and atmosphere. The films were annealed at temperature 75$0^{\circ}C$ ∼ 80$0^{\circ}C$ in $O_2$ or air. We obtained c-axis orientated BSCCO thin films on MgO substrates. The annealed sample at 77$0^{\circ}C$ with $O_2$ showed the critical temperature about 77 K and critical current denstity of 1.19 ${\times}$ 10$^{5}$ A/$\textrm{cm}^2$ about 13 K.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.343-348
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• 2012

Blocking or regulating $K^+$ channels is important for investigating neuronal functions in mammalian brains, because voltage-dependent $K^+$ channels (Kv channels) play roles to regulate membrane excitabilities for synaptic and somatic processings in neurons. Although a number of toxins and chemicals are useful to change gating properties of Kv channels, specific effects of each toxin on a particular Kv subunit have not been sufficiently demonstrated in neurons yet. In this study, we tested electro-physiologically if heteropodatoxin2 ($HpTX_2$), known as one of Kv4-specific toxins, might be effective on various $K^+$ outward currents in CA1 neurons of organotypic hippocampal slices of rats. Using a nucleated-patch technique and a pre-pulse protocol in voltage-clamp mode, total $K^+$ outward currents recorded in the soma of CA1 neurons were separated into two components, transient and sustained currents. The extracellular application of $HpTX_2$ weakly but significantly reduced transient currents. However, when $HpTX_2$ was added to internal solution, the significant reduction of amplitudes were observed in sustained currents but not in transient currents. This indicates the non-specificity of $HpTX_2$ effects on Kv4 family. Compared with the effect of cytosolic 4-AP to block transient currents, it is possible that cytosolic $HpTX_2$ is pharmacologically specific to sustained currents in CA1 neurons. These results suggest that distinctive actions of $HpTX_2$ inside and outside of neurons are very efficient to selectively reduce specific $K^+$ outward currents.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 1997

In this paper, in order to investigate the behavior of charged particles on (Sr.Ca)TiO$_{3}$ ceramics with paraelectric properties, the characteristics of electrical conduction and thermally stimulated current was measured respectively. As a result, the conduction mechanism is divided into three regions having different mechanism as the current increased. The region I below 200[V/Cm] shows the ohmic conduction. The region B between 200[V/cm] and 2000[V/cm] can be explained by the Poole-Frenkel emission theory, and the region III above 2000[V/cm] is dominated by the tunneling effect. The three peaks of TSC were obtained at the temperature of -20[.deg. C], 20[.deg. C] and 80[.deg. C], respectively. The origins of these peaks are that the .alpha. peak observed at -20[.deg. C] looks like to be ascribed to the ionization excitation from donor level in the grain, and the .alpha.' peak observed at 20 [.deg. C] appears to show up by hopping conduction of the trapped carrier of border between the oxidation layer and the grain, and the .betha. peak observed at 80[.deg. C] seems to be resulted from hopping conduction of existing carrier in the trap site of the border between the oxidation and second phase.