Effect of pH on Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells of the Rabbit

Effect of pH on Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels in Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells of the Rabbit

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 P₀ 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 Ca²⁺ 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 [Ca²⁺]_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 P₀-membrane potential relationship was modulated by internal pH. Decreasing pH reduced P₀. Increasing pH not only increased P₀ 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.