Intracellular Mg2+ Influences Both Open and Closed Times of a Native Ca2+-activated BK Channel in Cultured Human Renal Proximal Tubule Cells

Effects of intracellular Mg2+ on a native Ca2+-and voltage-sensitive large-conductance K+ channel in cultured human renal proximal tubule cells were examined with the patch-clamp technique in the inside-out mode. At an intracellular concentration of Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) of 10−5–10−4 M, addition of 1–10 mM Mg2+ increased the open probability (Po) of the channel, which shifted the Po –membrane potential (Vm) relationship to the negative voltage direction without causing an appreciable change in the gating charge (Boltzmann constant). However, the Mg2+-induced increase in Po was suppressed at a relatively low [Ca2+]i (10−5.5–10−6 M). Dwell-time histograms have revealed that addition of Mg2+ mainly increased Po by extending open times at 10−5 M Ca2+ and extending both open and closed times simultaneously at 10−5.5 M Ca2+. Since our data showed that raising the [Ca2+]i from 10−5 to 10−4 M increased Po mainly by shortening the closed time, extension of the closed time at 10−5.5 M Ca2+ would result from the Mg2+-inhibited Ca2+-dependent activation. At a constant Vm, adding Mg2+ enhanced the sigmoidicity of the Po–[Ca2+]i relationship with an increase in the Hill coefficient. These results suggest that the major action of Mg2+ on this channel is to elevate Po by lengthening the open time, while extension of the closed time at a relatively low [Ca2+]i results from a lowering of the sensitivity to Ca2+ of the channel by Mg2+, which causes the increase in the Hill coefficient.