Open AccessSelective Blockade of P-type Calcium Channels by Lead in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons
Author(s) -
Hisamitsu Ujihara,
Masashi Sasa,
Takashi Ban
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
japanese journal of pharmacology/japanese journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1347-3506
pISSN - 0021-5198
DOI - 10.1254/jjp.67.267
Subject(s) - blockade , hippocampal formation , chemistry , lead (geology) , calcium , neuroscience , l type calcium channel , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , voltage dependent calcium channel , biology , biochemistry , receptor , organic chemistry , paleontology
The effects of lead ions (Pb2+) on neuronal calcium channels were examined in cultured hippocampal neurons. Pb2+ blocked calcium channels in a concentration-dependent manner. The current-voltage relationship of the inhibition suggested a selective blockade of high-threshold calcium channels by Pb2+ up to a concentration of 3 microM. Pb2+ (3 microM) preferentially suppressed the omega-agatoxin IVA-sensitive components of the calcium channels. These findings suggest that Pb2+ mainly affects the P-type calcium channels at low concentrations.