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Ca channel inactivation by intracellular Ca injection into Helix neurones

Nature volume 293, pages 158–159 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

Inward calcium currents are present in many excitable tissues and are involved in several cellular processes. Depending on the tissue these may include action potential generation, transmitter release and control of membrane K permeability1,2. Membrane Ca conductance is activated by depolarization in a manner essentially similar to that described for Na conductance2,3. However, it has recently been suggested that Ca channel inactivation may differ from Na inactivation in being dependent not on membrane potential directly, but on Ca entry4–7. Such a mechanism has been proposed on the basis of the observed voltage and current dependence of Ca inactivation and could be caused either by some action of Ca ions as they pass through the channel or by an effect of increased intracellular calcium concentration [Ca]i. I report here experiments which demonstrate that Ca inactivation may be produced directly by intracellular injection of Ca and which support the idea that Ca conductance is reduced by an increase in [Ca]i.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

    N. B. Standen

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  1. N. B. Standen
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Standen, N. Ca channel inactivation by intracellular Ca injection into Helix neurones. Nature 293, 158–159 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/293158a0

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