• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.269-273
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• 2005

In horizontal cells (HCs) that were freshly dissociated from goldfish retina, two types of voltagedependent calcium currents ($I_{Ca}$) were recorded using a patch-clamping configuration: a transient type current and a sustained type current. The cell was held at -40 mV, and the prepulse step of -90 mV was applied before command pulse between -65 and +55 mV. The transient $Ca^{2+}$ current was activated by depolarization to around -50 mV from a prepulse voltage of -90 mV lasting at least 400 ms and reached a maximal value near -25 mV. On the other hand, the sustained $Ca^{2+}$ current was induced by pre-inactivation for less than 10 ms duration. Its activation started near -10 mV and peaked at +20 mV. $Co^{2+}$ (2 mM) suppressed both of these two components, but nifedipine ($20{\mu}M$), L-type $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonist, blocked only the sustained current. Based on the activation voltage and the pharmacolog$I_{Ca}$l specificity, the sustained current appears to be similar to L-type $I_{Ca}$ and the transient type to T-type $I_{Ca}$. This study is the first to confirm that transient type $I_{Ca}$ together with the sustained one is present in HCs dissociated from goldfish retina.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 1990

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dental therapeutic agent on conduction velocity and threshold current of intradental A- and C-fibers in the cat. Inferior alveolar nerve of cat anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital was exposed and dissected until response of functional single pulp nerve until could be evoked by monopolar electrical stimulation of the crown of the lower left canine teeth. 10ms rectangular pulse was used to determine the threshold current and 1ms rectangular pulse was used to determine conduction velocity. After application of calcium chloride (1, 2, 6M), calcium hydroxide mixed with saline, potassium chloride (0.2, 0.8, 1.6M), eugenol, zinc oxide eugenol to the cavity on the labial surface, conduction velocity and threshold current of single pulp nerve unit were compared with the control. In 10 cats, 24 $A{\delta}$- and 11 C- pulp nerve units were recorded. The mean conduction velocities of $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers were 7.5m/sec (SD=5.8) and 1.2m/sec (SD=0.4), respectively. The mean threshold current was $12.3{\mu}A$ (SD=5.3) for $A{\delta}$-fibers and $24.9{\mu}A$ (SD=8.1) for C-fibers. 1, 2, 6M calcium chloride caused decrease of conduction velocity and remarkable increase of threshold current in $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers. The effect of calcium hydroxide mixed with saline was similar but smaller than calcium chloride solution. 0.2M potassium chloride had insignificant effect. In 0.8M potassium chloride, the threshold current was increased although conduction velocity was not affected. In 1.6M potassium chloride, the threshold current was increased and the conduction velocity was slowed down. Spontaneous activity was recorded frequently for first 5 min but gradually reduced both in $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers. Eugenol had irreversible effect on pulp nerve in that initially there were not certain changes in the conduction velocity and threshold current of $A{\delta}$- and C-fibers, but the responses to electrical stimulation were abruptly disappeared after sustained application and were not recovered. Contrary to eugenol, zinc oxide eugenol did not caused significant increase of the threhold current and caused time dependent decrease of the conduction velocity, and did not show any irreversible change.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.503-510
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• 2009

To elucidate the mechanism of cyclic nucleotides, such as adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), in the regulation of human gastric motility, we examined the effects of forskolin (FSK), isoproterenol (ISO) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) on the spontaneous, high $K^+$ and acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contractions of corporal circular smooth muscle in human stomach. Gastric circular smooth muscle showed regular spontaneous contraction, and FSK, ISO and SNP inhibited its phasic contraction and basal tone in a concentration-dependent manner. High $K^+$ (50 mM) produced sustained tonic contraction, and ACh $(10\;{\mu}M)$ produced initial transient contraction followed by later sustained tonic contraction with superimposed phasic contractions. FSK, ISO and SNP inhibited high $K^+$-induced tonic contraction and also ACh-induced phasic and tonic contraction in a reversible manner. Nifedipine $(1\;{\mu}M)$, inhibitor of voltage-dependent L-type calcium current $(VDCC_L)$, almost abolished ACh-induced phasic contractions. These findings suggest that FSK, ISO and SNP, which are known cyclic nucleotide stimulators, inhibit smooth muscle contraction in human stomach partly via inhibition of $VDCC_L$.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.233-241
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• 1995

The nonapeptide bradykinin has been shown to exhibit an array of biological activities including relaxation/contraction of various smooth muscles. In order to investigate the effects of bradykinin on the contractility and the electrical activity of antral circular muscle of guinea-pig stomach, the isometric contraction and membrane potential were recorded. Also, using standard patch clamp technique, the $Ca^{2+}-activated$ K currents were recorded to observe the change in cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. $0.4 {\mu}M$ bradykinin induced a triphasic contractile response (transient contraction-transient relaxation-sustained contraction) and this response was unaffected by pretreatment with neural blockers (tetrodotoxin, atropine and guanethidine) or with apamin. Bradykinin induced hyperpolarization of resting membrane potential and enhanced the amplitude of slow waves and spike potentials. The enhancement of spike potentials was blocked by neural blockers. Both the bradykinin-induced contractions and changes in membrane potential were reversed by the selective $B_2$-receptor antagonist $(N{\alpha}-adamantaneacetyl-_{D}-Arg-[Hyp, Thy,_{D}-Phe]-bradykinin)$. In whole-cell patch clamp experiment, we held the membrane potential at -20 mV and spontaneous and transient changes of Ca-activated K currents were recorded. Bradykinin induced a large transient outward current, consistent with a calcium-releasing action of bradykinin front the intracellular calcium pool, because such change was blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. Bradykinin-induced contraction was also blocked by pretreatment with caffeine. From these results, it is suggested that bradykinin induces a calciumrelease and contraction through the $B_{2}$ receptor of guinea-pig gastric smooth muscle. Enhancement of slow wave activity is an indirect action of bradykinin through enteric nerve cells embedded in muscle strip.