1. The effect of sulmazole and several structurally related analogues on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-release channel gating and on [3H]-ryanodine binding to isolated SR membrane vesicles has been investigated. 2. The optical isomers, (+)- and (-)-sulmazole, increased the open probability (Po) of single Ca(2+)-release channels incorporated into phospholipid bilayers held under vol...

We have investigated the effects of Ca2+ on Na+ influx through ATP-activated channels in pheochromocytoma PC12 cells using single channel current recordings. Under cell-attached patch-clamp conditions with 150 mM Na+ and 2 mM Ca2+ in the pipette, the unitary current activity showed an open level of about -4.3 pA at -150 mV. The channel opening was interrupted by flickery noise as well as occasi...

Activation of phospholipase C (PLC)-mediated signaling pathways in non-excitable cells causes the release of calcium (Ca2+) from inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ stores and activation of Ca2+ influx via plasma membrane Ca2+ channels. The properties and molecular identity of plasma membrane Ca2+ influx channels in non-excitable cells is a focus of intense investi...

The ryanodine receptor of rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography as a single approximately 450,000-Da polypeptide and it was shown to mediate single channel activity identical to that of the ryanodine-treated Ca2+ release channel of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The purified receptor had a [3H]ryanodine binding capacity (Bmax) of 280 pmol/mg an...

Viroporins are small virus-encoded ion channel proteins. Most viroporins are monovalent selective cation channels, with few showing the ability to conduct divalent cations, like calcium (Ca2+). Nevertheless, some viroporins are known to disrupt host cell Ca2+ homeostasis, which is critical for virus replication and pathogenesis. Rotavirus nonstructural protein 4 (NSP4) is an endoplasmic reticul...

The cytosolic free calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i in phagocytic cells (e.g. neutrophils, human leukemic cell line HL-60) is an important determinant of cellular activity. In resting phagocytes [Ca2+]i is low (approximately 100 nM), but in response to occupation of cell surface receptors, it rises to micromolar levels, thereby activating a variety of cellular functions. The increases in [Ca2+]i ...

Sadeghi, Abbas, Andrew D. Doyle, and Barry D. Johnson. Regulation of the cardiac L-type Ca2 channel by the actin-binding proteins -actinin and dystrophin. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 282: C1502–C1511, 2002. First published February 13, 2002; 10.1152/ajpcell.00435.2001.—The actin-binding proteins dystrophin and -actinin are members of a family of actin-binding proteins that may link the cytoskelet...

Bovine adrenal zona fasciculata (AZF) cells express bTREK-1 background K+ channels that set the resting membrane potential. Whole-cell and single-channel patch-clamp recording were used to compare five Ca2+ channel antagonists with respect to their potency as inhibitors of native bTREK-1 K+ channels. The dihydropyridine (DHP) Ca2+ channel antagonists amlodipine and niguldipine potently and spec...

INTRODUCTION The possible role of UCP2 in modulating mitochondrial Ca2+-uptake (mCa2+-uptake) via the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is highly controversial. METHODS Thus, we analyzed mCa2+-uptake in isolated cardiac mitochondria, MCU single-channel activity in cardiac mitoplasts, dual Ca2+-transients from mitochondrial ((Ca2+)m) and intracellular compartment ((Ca2+)c) in the whole-cel...

The interaction of Ca2+ and Ba2+ with a Ca2+-activated K+ channel from rabbit skeletal muscle membranes is studied in planar lipid bilayers. At [Ca2+] greater than or equal to 100 microM in the cis side (the side to which the vesicles are added) and at positive voltages, the channel kinetics consisted of bursts of activity interrupted by long periods of quiescence. We found that the reciprocal ...