Potassium conductance of smooth muscle cells from rabbit aorta in primary culture

Vascular smooth muscle cells were obtained from rabbit aorta and were studied in primary culture on days 1–7 after seeding with electrophysiological techniques. In impalement experiments a mean membrane potential difference (PD) of –50±0.3 mV (n=387) was obtained with Ringer-type solution in the bath. PD was depolarized by 6±0.3 mV (n=45) and 16±2 mV (n= 5) when the bath K⁺ concentration was increased from the control value of 3.6 mmol/l to 13.6 and 23.6 mmol/l, respectively. Ba²⁺ (0.1–1 mmol/l) depolarized PD. Tetraethylammonium (TEA, 10 mmol/l) depolarized PD only slightly but significantly. Verapamil (0.1 mmol/l) and charybdotoxin (10 nmol/l) had no effect on PD. The conductance properties of these cells were further examined with the patch-clamp technique. K⁺ channels were spontaneously present in cell-attached patches. When the pipette was filled with 145 mmol/l KCl, a mean conductance (g_K) of 209.6±4.6 mV (n=17) was read from the current/voltage curves at a clamp voltage (V_c) of 0 mV. After excision K⁺ channels were found in 129 patches with inside-out and in 50 with outside-out configuration. With KCl on one and NaCl on the other side the mean g_K at a V_c of 0 mV was 134.6±3.9 pS (n=179). The mean permeability was 0.89±0.03×10^–12 cm³/s. With symmetrical KCl solution the mean g_K was 227±6 pS (n=17). The conductance sequence was g_K g_Rb= g_Cs=g_Na=0. TEA blocked dose-dependently only from the outside.(1–10 mmol/l). Lidocaine (5 mmol/l) quinidine (0.01–1 mmol/l) and quinine (0.01–1 mmol/l) blocked from both sides. Charybdotoxin (0.5–5 nmol/l) blocked only from the extracellular side. Ba²⁺ blocked from the cytosolic side and the inhibition was increased by depolarization and reduced by hyperpolarization. At a V_c of 0 mV a half-maximal inhibition (IC₅₀) of 2 mol/l was obtained. Verapamil and diltiazem blocked from both sides, verapamil with an IC₅₀ of 2 mol/l and diltiazem with an IC₅₀ of 10 mol/l. The open probability of this channel was increased by Ca²⁺ on the cytosolic side at activities > 0.1 mol/l. Half-maximal activation occurred at Ca²⁺ activities exceeding 1 mol/l. The present data indicate that the vascular smooth muscle cells of rabbit aorta in primary culture possess a K⁺ conductance. In excised patches only a maxi K⁺ channel was detected. This channel has properties different from the macroscopic K⁺ conductance. Hence, it is likely that the K⁺ conductance of the intact cell is dominated by yet another and thus far not detected K⁺ channel.Supported by DFG Gr 480/10