VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT CALCIUM-CHANNEL CURRENT IN ISOLATED GALLBLADDER SMOOTH-MUSCLE CELLS OF GUINEA-PIG

The voltage-dependent Ca2+ current was studied in enzymatically dispersed guinea pig gallbladder smooth muscle cells using the whole cell patch-clamp technique. Depolarizing voltage (V) steps induced an inward current (I) that was carried by Ca2+. The threshold potential was -40 to -30 mV, the maximal current was observed at +10 to +20 mV, and the reversal potential was around +80 mV. I-V curves obtained with holding potentials of -80 and -40 mV were not significantly different. This current had a high sensitivity to dihydropyridine drugs, and the Ba2+ or Sr2+ current was larger than the Ca2+ current. Activation was accelerated by increasing the membrane potential. In general, the time course of decay was well fitted by the sum of two exponentials, but consideration of a third (ultraslow) decay component was also necessary when the current generated by a 2-s command pulse was analyzed. Superimposition of activation and inactivation curves showed the presence of a significant window current. Carbachol suppressed the Ca2+ current only when the pipette contained a low concentration of ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. These results show that the L-type Ca2+ current is dominant in gallbladder smooth muscle cells and may contribute to excitation-contraction coupling.