Re-evaluation of the action potential upstroke velocity as a measure of the Na+ current in cardiac myocytes at physiological conditions.
PLoS One
; 5(12): e15772, 2010 Dec 31.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21217835
BACKGROUND: The SCN5A encoded sodium current (I(Na)) generates the action potential (AP) upstroke and is a major determinant of AP characteristics and AP propagation in cardiac myocytes. Unfortunately, in cardiac myocytes, investigation of kinetic properties of I(Na) with near-physiological ion concentrations and temperature is technically challenging due to the large amplitude and rapidly activating nature of I(Na), which may seriously hamper the quality of voltage control over the membrane. We hypothesized that the alternating voltage clamp-current clamp (VC/CC) technique might provide an alternative to traditional voltage clamp (VC) technique for the determination of I(Na) properties under physiological conditions. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied I(Na) under close-to-physiological conditions by VC technique in SCN5A cDNA-transfected HEK cells or by alternating VC/CC technique in both SCN5A cDNA-transfected HEK cells and rabbit left ventricular myocytes. In these experiments, peak I(Na) during a depolarizing VC step or maximal upstroke velocity, dV/dt(max), during VC/CC served as an indicator of available I(Na). In HEK cells, biophysical properties of I(Na), including current density, voltage dependent (in)activation, development of inactivation, and recovery from inactivation, were highly similar in VC and VC/CC experiments. As an application of the VC/CC technique we studied I(Na) in left ventricular myocytes isolated from control or failing rabbit hearts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that the alternating VC/CC technique is a valuable experimental tool for I(Na) measurements under close-to-physiological conditions in cardiac myocytes.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Sodio
/
Miocitos Cardíacos
Límite:
Animals
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
PLoS One
Asunto de la revista:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Año:
2010
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Países Bajos
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos