• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 1991

Single smooth muscle cells of the rabbit pulmonary artery were isolated by treatment with collagenase and elastase. Using the patch clamp technique, potassium channel activity was recorded from the inside-out membrane patch. The channel had a sin히e channel conductance of about 360 pS in symmetrical concentration of K on both sides of the patch, 150 mM, and had a linear current-voltage relationship. During the application of 10 mM tetraethylammonium (TEA) to the intracellular membrane surface, the amplitude of single channel current was reduced and very rapid flickering appeared. The open probability $(P_0)$ of this channel was increased by increasing positivity of the potential across the patch membrane, with e-fold increase by 20 mV depolarization, and by increasing the internal $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. These findings are consistent with those of large conductance Ca-activated K channels reported in other tissues. But the shortening of the mean open time by increasing $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, was an unexpected result and one additional closed state which might be arisen from a block of the open channel by Ca binding was suggested. The $P_0-membrane$ potential relationship was modulated by internal pH. Decreasing pH reduced $P_0$. Increasing pH not only increased $P_0$ but also weakened the voltage dependency of the channel opening. The modulation of Ca-activated K channel by pH was thought to be related to the mechanism of regulation of vascular tone by the pH change.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.30 no.2 s.79
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• pp.197-204
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• 2000

[$K^+$]-selective ion channels were studied in excised inside-out membrane patches from human osteoblast-like cells (G292). Three classes of $K^+$channels were present and could be distinguished on the basis of conductance. Conductances were $270\pm27\;pS,\;113\pm12\;pS,\;48\pm8\;pS$ according to their approximate conductances in symmetrical 140 mM KCl saline at holding potential of -80 mV It was found that the small conductance (48 pS) $K^+$channel activation was dependent on membrane voltage. In current-voltage relationship, small conductance $K^+$channel showed outward rectification, and it was activated by the positive potential inside the membrane. In recordings, single channel currents were activayed by a negative pressure outside the membrane. The membrane pressure increased $P_{open}$ of the $K^+$ channel in a pressure-dependent manner. In the excised-patch clamp recordings, G292 osteoblast-like cells have been shown to contain three types of $K^+$ channels. Only the small conductance (48 pS) $K^+$channel is sensitive to the membrane stretch. These findings suggest that a hyperpolarizing current, mediated in part by this channel, may be associated with early events during the mechanical loading of the osteoblast. In G292 osteoblast-like cells, $K^+$channel is sensitive to membrane tension, and may represent a unique adaptation of the bone cell membrane to mechanical stress.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.529-543
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• 2020

In contrast to ventricular myocytes, the structural and functional importance of atrial transverse tubules (T-tubules) is not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the ultrastructure of T-tubules of living rat atrial myocytes in comparison with ventricular myocytes. Nanoscale cell surface imaging by scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) was accompanied by confocal imaging of intracellular T-tubule network, and the effect of removal of T-tubules on atrial excitation-contraction coupling (EC-coupling) was observed. By SICM imaging, we classified atrial cell surface into 4 subtypes. About 38% of atrial myocytes had smooth cell surface with no clear T-tubule openings and intracellular T-tubules (smooth-type). In 33% of cells, we found a novel membrane nanostructure running in the direction of cell length and named it 'longitudinal fissures' (LFs-type). Interestingly, T-tubule openings were often found inside the LFs. About 17% of atrial cells resembled ventricular myocytes, but they had smaller T-tubule openings and a lower Z-groove ratio than the ventricle (ventricular-type). The remaining 12% of cells showed a mixed structure of each subtype (mixed-type). The LFs-, ventricular-, and mixed-type had an appreciable amount of reticular form of intracellular T-tubules. Formamide-induced detubulation effectively removed atrial T-tubules, which was confirmed by both confocal images and decreased cell capacitance. However, the LFs remained intact after detubulation. Detubulation reduced action potential duration and L-type Ca²⁺ channel (LTCC) density, and prolonged relaxation time of the myocytes. Taken together, we observed heterogeneity of rat atrial T-tubules and membranous ultrastructure, and the alteration of atrial EC-coupling by disruption of T-tubules.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1996.07a
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• pp.5-5
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• 1996

In sino-atrial node cells which act as the normal pacemaker of the heart, K conductance in resting state is minimal due to the absence of inward rectifier K channels K conductance only increases when the membrane is depolarized by the activation of the delayed rectifier K current I$\_$k/. In the present study, we investigated the gating mechanism of$\_$k/ using the whole cell patch clamp technique in isolated single sinoatrial cells of the rabbit. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.36-36
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• 2001

Small conductance $Ca^{2＋}$-activated $K^{+}$ channels (or S $K_{Ca}$ channels) are a group of $K^{＋}$-selective ion channels activated by sub-micromolar concentrations of intracellular $Ca^{2＋}$ independent of membrane voltage. We expressed a cloned S $K_{Ca}$ channel, rSK2, in Xenopus oocytes and investigated the monovalent cation selectivity of the channels. We have used site-directed mutagenesis and macro-channel recordings to identify amino acid residues influencing the ion selectivity.(omitted)d)

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2002.07b
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• pp.792-796
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• 2002

In this work, porous silicon(PS) layer is used as a sensing material to detect organic gases. To do this, PS sensors with membrane structure are fabricated. The sensors were made by applying the technologies of membrane formation by anisotropic etching of silicon, and PS layer formation by anodization in HF solution. From fabricated sensors, current-voltage (I-V) curves were measured against ethanol (called alcohol), methanol and acetone gases evaporated from 0.1 to 0.5% solution concentrations at $36^{\circ}C$. As the result, all curves showed rectifying behavior due to a diode structure between Si and PS, and the conductance of sensor devices increased largely with the organic solution concentration at high voltage of 5V.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.657-657
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• 2013

In-situ observations of nano-scale behavior of nanomaterials are very important to understand onthe nano-scale phenomena associated with phase change, atomic movement, electrical or optical properties, and even reactions which take place in gas or liquid phases. We have developed on the in-situ experimental technologies of nano-materials (nano-cluster, nanowire, carbon nanotube, and graphene, et al.) and their interactions (percolation of metal nanoclusters, inter-diffusion, metal contacts and phase changes in nanowire devices, formation of solid nano-pores, melting behavior of isolated nano-metal in a nano-cup, et al.) by nano-discovery membrane platform [1-4]. Between two microelectrodes on a silicon nitride membrane platform, electrical percolations of metal nano-clusters are observed with nano-structures of deposited clusters. Their in-situ monitoring can make percolation devices of different conductance, nanoclusters based memory devices, and surface plasmonic enhancement devices, et al. As basic evidence on the phase change memory, phase change behaviors of nanowire devices are observed at a nano-scale.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1999.06a
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• pp.56-56
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• 1999

Change of membrane property can affect the activity of membrane proteins. In this work, we investigated the single channel properties of large conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^{+}$(BK) channels in planar lipid bilayers of different thickness. First, we recorded the activity of single BK channels from rat skeletal muscle incorporated into the control bilayer, then increased the bilayer thickness by perfusing the recording solution with the one saturated with n-pentane, or reduced the thickness by adding diheptanoylphosphatidylcholine (di$C_{7:0}$PC) to the recording soluton.(omitted)

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2000

Chronic exposure to cadmium (Cd) results in an inhibition of protein endocytosis in the renal proximal tubule, leading to proteinuria. In order to gain insight into the mechanism by which Cd impairs the protein endocytosis, we investigated the effect of Cd on the acidification of renal cortical endocytotic vesicles (endosomes). The endosomal acidification was assessed by measuring the pH gradient-dependent fluorescence change, using acridine orange or FITC-dextran as a probe. In renal endosomes isolated from Cd-intoxicated rats, the $V_{max}$ of ATP-driven fluorescence quenching ($H^+-ATPase$ dependent intravesicular acidification) was significantly attenuated with no substantial changes in the apparent $K_m,$ indicating that the capacity of acidification was reduced. When endosomes from normal animals were directly exposed to free Cd in vitro, the $V_{max}$ was slightly reduced, whereas the $K_m$ was markedly increased, implying that the biochemical property of the $H^+-ATPase$ was altered by Cd. In endosomes exposed to free Cd in vitro, the rate of dissipation of the transmembrane pH gradient after $H^+-ATPase$ inhibition appeared to be significantly faster compared to that in normal endosomes, indicating that the $H^+-conductance$ of the membrane was increased by Cd. These results suggest that in long-term Cd-exposed animals, free Cd ions liberated in the proximal tubular cytoplasm by lysosomal degradation of cadmium-metallothionein complex (CdMT) may impair endosomal acidification 1) by reducing the $H^+-ATPase$ density in the endosomal membrane, 2) by suppressing the intrinsic $H^+-ATPase$ activity, and 3) possibly by increasing the membrane conductance to $H^+$ ion. Such effects of Cd could be responsible for the alterations of proximal tubular endocytotic activities, protein reabsorption and various transporter distributions observed in Cd-exposed cells and animals.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.366-370
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• 2022

A 12 ㎛ pixel-sized 360 × 240 microbolometer focal plane array (MBFPA) was fabricated using a complementary metaloxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible process. To release the MBFPA membrane, an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) processed at a low temperature (<400 ℃) was deposited as a sacrificial layer. The thermal time constant of the MBFPA was improved by using serpentine legs and controlling the thickness of the SiNx layers at 110, 130, and 150 nm on the membrane, with response times of 6.13, 6.28, and 7.48 msec, respectively. Boron-doped amorphous Si (a-Si), which exhibits a high-temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and CMOS compatibility, was deposited on top of the membrane as an IR absorption layer to provide heat energy transformation. The structural stability of the thin SiNx membrane and serpentine legs was observed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The fabrication yield was evaluated by measuring the resistance of a representative pixel in the array, which was in the range of 0.8-1.2 Mohm (as designed). The yields for SiNx thicknesses of SiNx at 110, 130, and 150 nm were 75, 86, and 86%, respectively.