• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.131-142
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• 2003

We have studied mutant forms of Kir2.1 in which an aspartate residue (D172), important for gating by intracellular polyamines, is replaced by one of three basic residues (Arg, Lys or His). Such channels are highly selective for $K^+$, but show inward rectification that is a shallow function of voltage compared with that found in wild type. This inward rectification occurs with a reduced affinity for spermine and persists in the absence of polyamines. Though the unitary current-voltage relation shows some inward rectification, it is insufficient to account for that seen under whole cell recording. Channels open and shut under single channel recording, and changes of $P_{open}$ appear to generate inward rectification. In D172H, the reduction in affinity for spermine is greater when His is protonated at low $pH_i$. The effective valency for spermine is reduced from $3.09{\pm}0.07$ in wild type to $1.95{\pm}0.09$ in D172H at $pH_i$ 6.3. In the presence of dual mutants of Kir2.1, where E224 is also replaced, spermine affinity becomes undetectable. However, channels still show inward rectification and open and shut under hyper- and depolarisation, respectively. We suggest that Kir2.1 channel are able to undergo conformation changes; these changes may be important physiologically in generating inward rectification, the normal parameters of which are set by the binding of polyamines such as spermine.

• 대한약리학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.115.1-115.1
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• 2006

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.471-476
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• 1998

The G protein-activated inwardly rectifying $K^＋$ channel (GIRK1) was coex-pressed in Xenopus oocytes along with the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor, a 7-helix receptor known to be coupled to $K^＋$ channels in many neural tissues. Thus, the activation of the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor by its agonist leads to the opening of GIRK1. The GIRK1 current was measured using the two electrode voltage clamp technique with bath application of 5-HT in the presence of various external potassium concentrations $[K^＋]_0$. GIRK1 showed a strong inward rectification since only hyperpolarizing voltages evoked inward currents. $K^{+}$ was the major ion carrier as evidenced by about 44㎷ voltage shift corresponding to a 10-fold external 〔$K^＋$〕 change. 5-HT induced a concentration-dependent inward $K^＋$ current ($EC_{50}{\equation omitted}10.7nM$) which was blocked by $Ba^{2＋}$. Pertussis toxin (PTX) pre-treatment reduced the $K^＋$ current by as much as about 70%, suggesting that PTX-sensitive G protein ($G_i or G_o$ type) are involved in the $5-HT_{1A}$ receptor-GIRK1 coupling in Xenopus oocytes.

• 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 and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.367-371
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• 2001

The chromosome 7-linked long QT syndrome (LQT2) is caused by mutations in the human ether-a- go-go-related gene (HERG) that encodes the rapidly activating delayed rectifier $K^+$ current, $I_{Kr},$ in cardiac myocytes. Different types of mutations have been identified in various locations of HERG channel. One of the mechanisms for the loss of normal channel function is due to membrane trafficking of channel protein. The decreased channel function in some deletion mutants appears to be due to loss of coupling with wild type HERG to form the functional channel as the tetramer. Most of missense mutants with few exceptions could interact with wild type HERG to form functional tetramer and caused dominant negative suppression with co-injection with wild type HERG showing variable effects on current amplitude, voltage dependence, and kinetics of activation and inactivation. Two missense mutants at pore regions of HERG found in Japanese LQT2 (A614V and V630L) showed accentuated inward rectification due to a negative shift in steady-state inactivation and fast inactivation. One mutation in S4 region (R534C) produced a negative shift in current activation, indicating the S4 serving as the voltage sensor and accelerated deactivation. The C-terminus mutation, S818L, could not express the current by mutant alone and did not show dominant negative suppression with co-injection of equal amount of wild type cRNA. Co-injection of excess amount of mutant with wild type produced dominant negative suppression with a shift in voltage dependent activation. Therefore, multiple mechanisms are involved in different mutations and functional abnormality in LQT2. Further characterization with the interactions between various mutants in HERG and the regulatory subunits of the channels (MiRP1 and minK) is to be clarified.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1429-1436
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• 2000

Objectives : This study was performed in cultured rat hippocampal neurons to investigate the acute electrophysiological features of ionotropic glutamate receptors which act as a major excitatory neurotransmitter in mammalian brain. Method : Glutamate receptor agonists were applied into the bath solution embedding in whole-cell patch-clamp recording of single hippocampal neuron. Results : In voltage-clamped at -60mV and the presence of 1mmol $Mg^{2+}$, extracellulary applied NMDA did not induce any inward current. Both the elimination of $Mg^{2+}$ and addition of glycine in bath, however, elicited a NMDAinduced inward current. $Mg^{2+}$ block current was increased gradually in more negative potentials from -30mV, showing a negative slope in I-V plot with $Mg^{2+}$. Glutamate-induced current represented an outward rectification. A non-NMDA receptor component occupied about 40% of glutamate-induced current in the voltage range of -80mV to +60mV. Conclusion : Present study suggests that glutamate activates acutely the non-NMDA receptors which induces an inward current in the level of resting membrane potential. This makes the membrane potential increase and can activate the NMDA receptors that permit calcium influx against $Mg^{2+}$ block. At the depolarized state of neuron, there may be recovery mechanisms of membrane potential to repolarize irrespective of voltage-dependent potassium channels in the hippocampal neurons.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 1992

Changes in the both inward current and conductance of membrane by the fertilization were observed using the one microelectrode voltage clamp(or switch clamp) technique. Unfertilized eggs and both 1- and 2-cell stage eggs after fertilization were donated from the superovulated mouse (ICR, more than 6 weeks old) treated with PMSG(pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, Sigma) and HCG(human chorionic gonadotropin, Sigma) and naturally mated ones, respectively in this experiment. Membrane potential was held at -90mV and the voltage step was applied from -80mV to 50mV with interval of 10mV or 20mV for 300ms. since both of amplitudes and time courses in the membrane currents were various according to the states of cells and clamping condition, results were presented by their $averages{\pm}SEM$(standard mean error)and ratios or percentages. Inward currents began to appear in response to the step depolarization from -60mV and reached its maximum at -50mV. However, since the potential was not clamped evenly during the voltage step, current-voltage(I-V) relationship might be positively shifted 10 or 20mV. From the steady-state currents plotted in the I-V curve, outward rectification was markedly observed. Peak inward currents$(i_{in})$ at -50mV were $-0.62{\pm}0.23nA$(n=4),$-0.52{\pm}0.25nA$(n=5) and $-0.37{\pm}0.25nA$(n=6), in the 1-cell stage, 2-cell stage fertilized eggs and in the unfertilized eggs, respectively. Pure inward current (difference between steady-state and peak, $i_{in. pure}$) were $-1.01{\pm}0.23nA$, $-0.69{\pm}0.43nA$ and $-0.68{\pm}0.29nA$, respectively in the 1-cell stage fertilized eggs, unfertilized eggs and 2-cell stage fertilized eggs. These results suggested that the outward current in fertilized eggs of 2-cell stage was more increased than those in the unfertilized eggs. Pure inward currents in the all stages of eggs showed a similar fashion in the I-V relationship from -50mV to 50mV and reversal potential at 50mV. Time constant of inactivation$({\tau})$ in the inward current was decreased as the membrane potential was depolarized in the unfertilized and 2-cell stage eggs but in the 1-cell stage eggs t was not likely to be affected significantly. Slope conductances were 14.2nS, 8.9n5 and 7.7nS in the 1-cell, 2-cell stage fertilized eggs and the unfertilized eggs, respectively. Membranes between two cells within a zona pellucida seem to be electrical-connected in the 2-cell stage eggs from the observation made in the analysis for the electronic spread and decay to the current stimuli. Both of inward current and membrane conductance were increased after fertilization in the mouse eggs. Inward current seems to be carried by the same ion or through the same channels up to the 2-cell stage and ion that carried inward current was thought to play important function after fertilization in the mouse eggs.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.235-238
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• 1999

ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels $(K_{ATP})$ are expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, skeletal muscle cells, pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells, neurons and epithelial cells. $K_{ATP}$ contributes to regulate membrane potential to control vascular tone, to protect myocardial ischemia, and to regulate insulin secretion in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells. We previously demonstrated that ginseng saponins and ginsenoside $Rg_3$ activated maxi $Ca^{2+}-activated\;K^+$ channel, and this might cause vasodilation. Because $K_{ATP}$ plays an important roles to regulate the resting membrane potential in vascular smooth muscle cells, we investigated whether ginsenoside $Rg_3$ produces vasodilation by activating $K_{ATP}$ We showed in this study that $K_{ATP}$ is expressed in rabbit coronary artery smooth muscle cells. $K_{ATP}$ was inwardly rectifying and was inhibited by intemal application of ATP. Micromolar minoxidil activated, but glyburide inhibited the activity of $K_{ATP}$ Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ relieved inactivaiton of whole-cell $K_{ATP}$ current without affecting the peak amplitude of $K_{ATP}$ currents presumably due to more opening of the channels.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 2020

Transient receptor potential canonical 4 (TRPC4) channel is a nonselective calcium-permeable cation channels. In intestinal smooth muscle cells, TRPC4 currents contribute more than 80% to muscarinic cationic current (mIcat). With its inward-rectifying current-voltage relationship and high calcium permeability, TRPC4 channels permit calcium influx once the channel is opened by muscarinic receptor stimulation. Polyamines are known to inhibit nonselective cation channels that mediate the generation of mIcat. Moreover, it is reported that TRPC4 channels are blocked by the intracellular spermine through electrostatic interaction with glutamate residues (E728, E729). Here, we investigated the correlation between the magnitude of channel inactivation by spermine and the magnitude of channel conductance. We also found additional spermine binding sites in TRPC4. We evaluated channel activity with electrophysiological recordings and revalidated structural significance based on Cryo-EM structure, which was resolved recently. We found that there is no correlation between magnitude of inhibitory action of spermine and magnitude of maximum current of the channel. In intracellular region, TRPC4 attracts spermine at channel periphery by reducing access resistance, and acidic residues contribute to blocking action of intracellular spermine; channel periphery, E649; cytosolic space, D629, D649, and E687.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2000

To find the mechanism underlying the ADP-induced increase in the outward current in ovulated mouse oocytes, we examined changes in voltage-dependent currents using the whole cell voltage clamp technique and the internal perfusion technique. Eggs were collected from the oviduct of superovulated mice with PMSG and hCG. Membrane potential was held at -60 mV (or -80 mV in the case of recording $Ca^{2＋}$ currents) and step depolarizations or hyperpolarizations were applied for 300 ms. By step depolarizations, outward currents comprising steady-state and time-dependent components were elicited. They were generated in response to the positive potential more than 20 mV with severe outward rectification and were blocked by external TEA, a specific $K^{＋}$ channel blocker, suggesting that they be carried via $K^{＋}$ channels. Internally-perused 5 mM ADP gradually increased outward $K^{＋}$ currents (IK) 1 min after perfusion of ADP and reached slowly to maximum (150~170％) 5 min later over the positive potential range, implying that ADP might not be acted directly to the $K^{＋}$ channels. IK were decreased by 5 mM ATP without affecting the steady-state component of outward current. In contrast to the effect of ADP and ATP on IK, both effect of ATP and ADP on inward $Ca^{2＋}$ currents (ICa) could not be detected due to the continuous decrease in current amplitudes with time-lapse ("run-down" phenomena). To check if there is a G protein-involved regulation in the ionic current of mouse oocytes, 1 mM GTP was applied to the cytoplasmic side, and the outward current and inward currents were recorded. ICa was promptly increased in the presence of GTP whereas IK was not changed. from these results, it is concluded that the ATP-dependent regulation is likely linked in the ADP-induced increase in the outward $K^{＋}$ current, and G protein-involved cellular signalling might affect ion channels carrying $Ca^{2＋}$ and $K^{＋}$ in mouse oocytes.