ISSN:
1432-1017
Keywords:
Sodium channel
;
gating current
;
fluctuation analysis
;
patch clamp
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Physics
Notes:
Abstract Asymmetric displacement currents, I g , associated with the gating of nerve sodium channels have been recorded in cell-attached macropatches of Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with exogenous mRNA coding for rat-brain-II sodium channels. The I g properties were found to be similar to those of gating currents previously observed in native nerve preparations. I g fluctuations were measured in order to ascertain the discreteness of the conformational changes which precede the channel opening. The autocorrelation of the fluctuations is consistent with a shot-like character of the elementary I g contributions. The variance of the fluctuations indicates that most of the gating-charge movement that accompanies the activation of a single sodium channel occurs in 2 to 3 brief packets, each carrying an equivalent of about 2.3 electron charges.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00257102
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