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Attributes of an Alcohol‐sensitive and an Alcohol‐insensitive Transient Potassium Current in Aplysia Neurons
Author(s) -
Treistman Steven N.,
Grant Alan J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1990.tb01208.x
Subject(s) - aplysia , potassium channel , ethanol , biophysics , alcohol , chemistry , potassium , ion channel , membrane potential , biochemistry , kinetics , biology , nervous system , neuroscience , physics , receptor , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
We describe two subtypes of transient potassium current, I A , found in two identified cells within the nervous system of Aplysia. These subtypes of I A are differentially sensitive to ethanol, since the decay of current is significantly slowed in the presence of ethanol in one cell, while I A is unaffected by ethanol at the same concentrations in the other cell. In this paper, we examine a number of parameters including temperature sensitivity of these different I A S. While both currents fulfill the criteria for being called I A , they are significantly different with respect to the kinetics of activation and inactivation, as well as recovery from inactivation. They do not differ significantly in the temperature sensitivity of a number of measured parameters, suggesting that ethanol and temperature do not act as a common locus; e.g., by affecting a bulk lipid membrane fluidity. In light of recent work describing the molecular biology of channels underlying I A , it is reasonable to assume that these I A subtypes reflect different underlying channels. This system may be useful for understanding the relationship of channel structure and function to ethanol action.