• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2002

To identify the presence of inwardly rectifying $K^+$ channels and its characteristics, membrane currents were measured using a whole-cell patch clamp from isolated gastric myocytes of guinea-pig. Change of external $K^+$ concentration from 5 to 90 mM induced an inward current at a holding potential of -80 mV. The high $K^+-induced$ inward current was blocked by $Ba^{2+}$ and $Cs^+,$ but not by glibenclamide. With 90 mM $K^+$ in bath, the $Ba^{2+}-$ and $Cs^+-sensitive$ currents showed strong inward rectification. Ten mM TEA weakly blocked the inward current only at potentials more negative than -50 mV. With 90 mM $K^+$ in bath, hyperpolarizing step pulses from -10 mV induced inward currents, which were inactivated at potentials more negative than -70 mV. Reduction of external $K^+$ to 60 mM decreased the amplitudes of the currents and shifted the reversal potential to more negative potential. The inactivation of inward $K^+$ current at negative clamp voltage was not affected by removing external $Na^+.$ These results suggest that the inwardly rectifying $K^+$ channels may exist in gastric smooth muscle.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1984

The second inward current $(i_{si})$ was studied by the two microelectrode voltage clamp technique in the sino-atrial node of the rabbit. The slow component $(i_{si,2})$ of the second inward current was sometimes identified and $i_{si}$ behaved as if it were a mixture of two currents. We analysed the $(i_{si,2})$ in relation to membrane potential and frequency of voltage clamp pulses. 1) Membrane was held at -40mV which was usually found to be zero current level. When depolarizing pulses were applied, the slow inward current $(i_{si})$ was activated. 2) It was shown that there are three categories of the $i_{si}$ activation by the low level of depolarizing clamp pulses. Moderately fast inward current with single component was developed in most cases in the presence of tetrodotoxin(TTX). But sometimes there was two separate components of $i_{si}$ activation in the peak level and the time course. Thirdly the only slow component of $i_{si}$ was found in rare cases. 3) The activation of $(i_{si,2})$ was dependent upon membrane potential. The $i_{si}$ shows two separate peaks during clamp depolarizations and higher clamp pulses lead to fusion of the peaks. 4) The $i_{si,2}$ activation showed that it decreased with repetitive clamp pulses and it was more evident in higher frequencies(2Hz)(negative staircase).

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.175-175
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• 1996

The spinal dorsal horn is the area where primary afferent fibers terminate and cutaneous sensory information is Processed. A number of putative neurotransmitter substances, including excitatory and inhibitory amino acids and peptides, are present in this region and sites and cellular mechanisms of their actions have been a target of numerous studies. In this study, single neurons were acutely isolated and the properties of whole cell current and responses to excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters were studied by the patch clamp method. Young rats (7-14 days) were anesthetized with diethyl-ether, and the lumbar spinal cord was excised and cut transversely at a thickness of 30$\mu\textrm{m}$ by Vibroslicer. The treatment of spinal slices with low concentration of proteases (pronase and thermolysin 0.75 mg/$m\ell$) and mechanical dissociation yielded isolated neurons with near intact morphology. Multipolar, ellipsoidal and bipolar, and pyramidal cells were shown. By applying step voltage pulses to neurons held at -70 mV, two types of inward currents and one outward currents observed. The fast activating and inactivating inward current was the Na$\^$+/ current because of its fast kinetics and blocking by 0.5${\mu}$M TTX, a specific blocker of Na$\^$+/ channel. The second type of inward currents were sustained. Based on their kinetics and current-voltage relations, it was likely that the second type of inward current was the voltage-dependent Ca$\^$2+/ current. In the presence of TTX, the steady-state currents mainly represented outward K$\^$+/ current which looked like the delayed rectifier K$\^$+/ current. In addition, the membrane currents produced by agonist of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptor and the endogenous transmitter candidate L-glutamate were recorded in isolated whole-cell voltage clamped neurons as well as responses to inhibitory amino acids (${\gamma}$-amino butyric acid, glycine). Drugs were applied by a method that allows complete exchange of the solution within 1 sec; an infinite number of solutions can be applied to a single cell.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.487-494
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• 2001

During depolarization, extrusion of $Ca^{2+}$ from sarcoplasmic reticulum through forward-mode $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange was studied in the rat ventricular myocytes patch-clamped in whole-cell configuration. In order to confine the $Ca^{2+}$ responses in a micro-domain by limiting the $Ca^{2+}$ diffusion time, rat ventricular myocytes were dialyzed with high (14 mM) EGTA. $K^+$ current was suppressed by substituting KCl with 105 mM CsCl and 20 mM TEA in the pipette filling solution and by omitting KCl in the external Tyrode solution. $Cl^-$ current was suppressed by adding 0.1 mM DIDS in the external Tyrode solution. During stimulation roughly mimicking action potential, the initial outward current was converted into inward current, $47{\pm}1%$ of which was suppressed by 0.1 mM $CdCl_2.$ 10 mM caffeine increased the remaining inward current after $CdCl_2$ in a cAMP-dependent manner. This caffeine-induced inward current was blocked by $1\;{\mu}M$ ryanodine, $10\;{\mu}M$ thapsigargin, 5 mM $NiCl_2,$ or by $Na^+\;and\;Ca^{2+}$ omission, but not by $0.1\;{\mu}M$ isoproterenol. The $I{\sim}V$ relationship of the caffeine-induced current elicited inward current from -45 mV to +3 mV with the peak at -25 mV. Taken together, it is concluded that, during activation of the rat ventricular myocyte, forward-mode $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange extrudes a fraction of $Ca^{2+}$ released from sarcoplasmic reticulum mainly by voltage-sensitive release mechanism in a micro-domain in the t-tubule, which is functionally separable from global $Ca^{2+}{_i}$ by EGTA.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.197-210
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• 2000

Suppressive role of $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange in myocardial tension generation was examined in the negative frequency-force relationship (FFR) of electric field stimulated left atria (LA) from postnatal developing rat heart and in the whole-cell clamped adult rat ventricular myocytes with high concentration of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ buffer (14 mM EGTA). LA twitch amplitudes, which were suppressed by cyclopiazonic acid in a postnatal age-dependent manner, elicited frequency-dependent and postnatal age-dependent enhancements after $Na^+-reduced,\;Ca^{2+}-depleted$ (26 Na-0 Ca) buffer application. These enhancements were blocked by caffeine pretreatment with postnatal age-dependent intensities. In the isolated rat ventricular myocytes, stimulation with the voltage protocol roughly mimicked action potential generated a large inward current which was partially blocked by nifedipine or $Na^+$ current inhibition. 0 Ca application suppressed the inward current by $39{\pm}4%$ while the current was further suppressed after 0 Na-0 Ca application by $53{\pm}3%.$ Caffeine increased this inward current by $44{\pm}3%$ in spite of 14 mM EGTA. Finally, the $Na^+$ current-dependent fraction of the inward current was increased in a stimulation frequency-dependent manner. From these results, it is concluded that the $Ca^{2+}$ exit-mode (forward-mode) $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange suppresses the LA tension by extruding $Ca^{2+}$ out of the cell right after its release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in a frequency-dependent manner during contraction, resulting in the negative frequency-force relationship in the rat LA.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.165-174
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• 1986

The voltage clamp studies were undertaken to elucidate the properties of the slow inward current, $i_{si}$, in the small preparations of the rabbit sinoatrial node. The slow inward current, $i_{si}$, which is known to be responsible for the late one-third of pacemaker potential and whole range of upstroke phase of action potential was analysed with the effects of isoprenaline, cobalt, ouabain and higenamine. The results obtained are as follows; 1) Voltage of SA node preparation was held at zero current level, usually-40mV and the slow inward current, $i_{si}$, was activated by depolarizing clamp pulses. Peak values of $i_{si}$, in steady state were at $-10{\pm}0mV$ in most preparations. 2) Isoprenaline, ${\beta}-agonist$ increased $i_{si}$ and no shift was noticed in voltage-dependency. 3) Cobalt ion in the concentration of 1 mM abolished is, in entire range of membrane potential and the difference of two current levels before and after $Co^{2+}$ treatment could be considered as pure $i_{si}$ magnitude. 4) In the therapeutic concentration of ouabain $(5{\times}10^{-8}M)$ slightly increased is, and reduced the time to reach the peak value. 5) Higenamine $(10^{-6}M)$ changed the configurations of action potential (i. e. rapid upstroke phase and notch in the spike) and increase spontaneous rate. It also increased is, and the effect of higenamine was blocked ${\beta}-blocker$, propranolol $(10^{-6}M)$.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.215-222
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• 2009

Medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neurons are involved in the reflex control of the head and eyes, and in the recovery of vestibular function after the formation of peripheral vestibular lesions. In our present study, whole cell patch clamp recordings were carried out on MVN neurons in brainstem slices from neonatal rats to investigate the actions of a group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) agonist upon synaptic transmission and ionic currents. Application of the mGluR I agonist (S)-3,5- dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) increased the frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) but had no effect upon amplitude distributions. To then identify which of mGluR subtypes is responsible for the actions of DHPG in the MVN, we employed two novel subtype selective antagonists. (S)-(+)-$\alpha$-amino-a-methylbenzeneacetic acid (LY367385) is a potent competitive antagonist that is selective for mGluR1, whereas 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyridine (MPEP) is a potent noncompetitive antagonist of mGluR5. Both LY367385 and MPEP antagonized the DHPG-induced increase of mIPSCs, with the former being more potent. DHPG was also found to induce an inward current, which can be enhanced under depolarized conditions. This DHPG-induced current was reduced by both LY367385 and MPEP. The DHPG-induced inward current was also suppressed by the PLC blocker U-73122, the $IP_3$ receptor antagonist 2-APB, and following the depletion of the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ pool by thapsigargin. These data suggest that the DHPG-induced inward current may be mainly regulated by the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store via the PLC-$IP_3$ pathway. In conclusion, mGluR I, via pre- and postsynaptic actions, may modulate the excitability of the MVN neurons.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.65-72
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• 2013

The purpose of the current study was to determine the intra- and inter-rater reliability of muscle thickness (MT) measurement of the psoas major (PM) using ultrasonography (US) conducted at different inward pressures of approximately .5 kg, 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg, and 2.0 kg. Twelve healthy male subjects were recruited for the study. The thicknesses of both PMs of each subject were measured by two different examiners in a random manner to assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability. The measurement values were analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). ICC (2,1) was used to determine the inter-rater reliability and ICC (3,1) was used to assess the intra-rater reliability of the MT measurement of the PM. The results indicated higher ICC values for intra-rater reliability compared to inter-rater reliability. In addition, the value for intra-rater reliability with .5 kg inward pressure [ICC=.99 (95%CI=.98~.99)] was higher compared to 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg, and 2.0 kg. Other inward pressures for intra- and inter-rater reliability in current study were also demonstrated to have excellent values (ICC=.94~.99). These findings showed that maintaining consistent inward pressure is essential for maintaining reliability of the results when the MT of the PM is measured by different examiners in a clinical setting.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2004

Voltage-sensitive release mechanism was pharmacologically dissected from the $Ca^{2+}-induced\;Ca^{2+}\;release$ in the SR $Ca^{2+}$ release in the rat ventricular myocytes patch-clamped in a whole-cell mode. SR $Ca^{2+}$ release process was monitored by using forward-mode $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange after restriction of the interactions between $Ca^{2+}$ from SR and $Na^+-Ca^{2+}$ exchange within micro-domains with heavy cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ buffering with 10 mM BAPTA. During stimulation every 10 s with a pulse roughly mimicking action potential, the initial outward current gradually turned into a huge inward current of $-12.9{\pm}0.5\;pA/pF$. From the inward current, two different inward $I_{NCX}s$ were identified. One was $10\;{\mu}M$ ryanodine-sensitive, constituting $14.2{\pm}2.3%$. It was completely blocked by $CdCl_2$ (0.1 mM and 0.5 mM) and by $Na^+-depletion$. The other was identified by 5 mM $NiCl_2$ after suppression of $I_{CaL}$ and ryanodine receptor, constituting $14.8{\pm}1.6%$. This latter was blocked by either 10 mM caffeine-induced SR $Ca^{2+}-depletion$ or 1 mM tetracaine. IV-relationships illustrated that the latter was activated until the peak in $30{\sim}35\;mV$ lower voltages than the former. Overall, it was concluded that the SR $Ca^{2+}$ release process in the rat ventricular myocytes is mediated by the voltage-sensitive release mechanism in addition to the $Ca^{2+}-induced-Ca^{2+}\;release$.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.548-561
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• 1989

In single atrial cells isolated from the rabbit the properties of inward current of Na-Ca exchange were investigated using the whole cell voltage clamp technique. The current was recorded during repolarization following brief 2 ms depolarizing pulse to +40 mV from a holding potential of * 70 mV. Followings are the results obtained: 1. When stimulated every 30 seconds, the inward currents were activated and reached peak values 6-12 ms after the beginning of depolarizing pulse. The mean current amplitude was 342 pA/cell. 2. The current decayed spontaneously from the peak activation and the time course of the relaxation showed two different phases fast and slow phase. The time constants were 10-18 ms and 60-140 ms, respectively. 3. The recovery of inward current was tested by paired pulse of various intervals. The peak current recovered exponentially with time constant of 140 ms and 1 p M isoprenaline accelerated the recovery process. 4. Relaxation time course was also affected by pulse interval and time constant of the fast phase was reduced almost linearly according to the decrease of pulse interval between 30 sec and 1 sec. 5. The peak activation was increased in magnitude by long prepulse stimulation, 5 p M Bay K, 1 p M isoprenaline or internal and external application of c-AMP. 6. The relaxation time constant of the fast phase was prolonged by 5 p M Bay K or c-AMP, and shortened by isoprenaline. However the time course of the slow relaxation phase was not so much changed. From the above results, it could be concluded that increase of the calcium current by Bay K or c-AMP results in the potentiation and prolongation of intracellular calcium transient, and the facilitation of Ca uptake by SR might be a mechanism of shortening the time constant of current relaxation by short interval stimulation or isoprenaline.