AJP - Cell Physiology, Vol 237, Issue 3 156-C165, Copyright © 1979 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Membrane permeability during low potassium depolarization in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibers

C. O. Lee and H. A. Fozzard

Exposure of sheep Purkinje fibers to low [K]o leads to marked depolarization to a stable potential of about -40 mV. This level is equivalent to the plateau of the Purkinje fiber action potential. The low [K]o depolarization could be prevented by removal of [Na]o and was modified by tetrodotoxin. The membrane potential in the depolarized state was unresponsive to changes in [Cl]o or [Ca]o and it was poorly responsive to changes in [K]o between 0 and 2 mM. Repolarization was induced by decrease in [Na]o with a slope response of 30 mV/10-fold change in [Na]o. Average internal K activity (aK) in the resting state with a [K]o of 5 mM was 121.4 mM for a membrane potential of -80 mV. During low K depolarization aK was 119.7 mM with a membrane potential of -34 mV. The depolarization was therefore due to a change in membrane permeability, with little change in aK. Upon restoration of [K]o the fiber repolarized to values transiently more negative than the prior resting potential. These transient potentials were more negative than the K equilibrium potential (VK), if it is calculated assuming a uniform [K]o. The hyperpolarization was reduced by ouabain [10(-6)] or by low [Ca]o.

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