Two levels of resting potential in canine cardiac Purkinje fibers exposed to sodium-free solutions

Circ Res. 1976 Oct;39(4):466-74. doi: 10.1161/01.res.39.4.466.

Abstract

Canine cardiac Purkinje fibers exposed to sodium-free solutions containing 16 mM CaCl2, 20 mM tetraethylammonium chloride, 108 mM tetramethylammonium chloride, and 2.7 mM KCl may be quiescent at a resting potential of either -50 mV or -90 mV. The membrane potential of these fibers can be switched from -50 mV to -90 mV by a hyperpolarizing current pulse and from -90 mV to -50 mV by a depolarizing current pulse. The transition from -50 mV to -90 mV depends on a voltage-dependent increase in potassium conductance, that conductance being low at -50 mV and high at -90 mV. A reduction in potassium conductance causes the fiber to depolarize from -90 mV to -50 mV because of the presence of an inward current which apparently is carried mainly by Ca. Fibers that show a high resting potential cannot be excited except by depolarizing stimuli strong enough to move the membrane from -90 mV to a threshold potential of about -40 mV. Fibers that show a low resting potential are more easily excited and may show rhythmic activity sustained by afterpotentials that appear only if the low membrane potential is accompanied by a low potassium conductance. Slow changes in membrane potential also are seen; these changes may result from movements of chloride.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Calcium / pharmacology
  • Cell Membrane Permeability / drug effects
  • Dogs
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Evoked Potentials / drug effects
  • Female
  • Heart Conduction System / drug effects*
  • Magnesium / pharmacology
  • Male
  • Membrane Potentials / drug effects*
  • Myocardial Contraction / drug effects
  • Potassium / pharmacology
  • Purkinje Fibers / drug effects*
  • Refractory Period, Electrophysiological / drug effects
  • Sodium / pharmacology*
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects

Substances

  • Sodium
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium
  • Calcium