Sakmann_1983_Nature_303_250

Reference

Title : Acetylcholine activation of single muscarinic K+ channels in isolated pacemaker cells of the mammalian heart - Sakmann_1983_Nature_303_250
Author(s) : Sakmann B , Noma A , Trautwein W
Ref : Nature , 303 :250 , 1983
Abstract :

Acetylcholine (ACh) released on vagal stimulation reduces the heart rate by increasing K+ conductance of pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial (S-A) node. Fluctuation analysis of ACh-activated currents in pacemaker tissue showed this to be due to opening of a separate class of K+ channels gated by muscarinic ACh receptors (m-AChRs). On the other hand, it has been suggested that m-AChRs may simply regulate the current flow through inward rectifying resting K+ channels (gk1). We report here the measurement of ACh-activated single channel K+ currents and of resting K+ channel currents in isolated cells of the atrioventricular (A-V) and S-A node of rabbit heart. The results show that the ACh-dependent K+ conductance increase in nodal cells is mediated by K+ channels which are different in their gating and conductance properties from the inward rectifying resting K+ channels in atrial and ventricular cells. The resting K+ channels in nodal cells are, however, similar to those activated by ACh.

PubMedSearch : Sakmann_1983_Nature_303_250
PubMedID: 6302520

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Citations formats

Sakmann B, Noma A, Trautwein W (1983)
Acetylcholine activation of single muscarinic K+ channels in isolated pacemaker cells of the mammalian heart
Nature 303 :250

Sakmann B, Noma A, Trautwein W (1983)
Nature 303 :250