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Title: Cd and Hg ions stimulate cell membrane potassium conductance

Journal Article · · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (USA)
OSTI ID:7190482

Intracellular microelectrodes have been applied to study the effect of cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) ions on cultured renal epitheloid Madin Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells. Within 10 seconds Cd and within 50 seconds Hg hyperpolarize the cell membrane from - 53 {plus minus} 1 mV to - 68 {plus minus} 1 mV and - 67 {plus minus} 1 mV, resp., increase the potassium selectivity of the cell membrane (tk) from 0.33 {plus minus} 0.02 to 0.64 {plus minus} 0.03 and 0.77 {plus minus} 0.02, resp., and reduce the apparent cell membrane resistance from 40 {plus minus} 2 MOhm to 27 {plus minus} 2 MOhm and 22 {plus minus} 2 MOhm, resp.. Thus, both, Cd and Hg hyperpolarize the cell membrane by enhancement of the potassium conductance. The concentration required to elicit half maximal hyperpolarization is some 400 nmol/1 for either, Cd or Hg. Barium (1 mmol/1) depolarizes the cell membrane to - 34 {plus minus} 1 mV and virtually abolishes tk in the absence of Cd and Hg. In the presence of barium Cd leads to a transient, Hg to a sustained reappearance of tk and hyperpolarization. Thus, the Cd induced potassium conductance is blocked by barium with delay, the Hg induced potassium conductance is insensitive to barium. Quinidine (1 mmol/1) depolarizes the cell membrane to - 3 {plus minus}1 mV and abolishes the effect of both, Cd and Hg. In the nominal absence of extracellular calcium Cd leads to transient, Hg to sustained increase of tk and hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. In conclusion, both, CD and Hg at the low concentrations encountered during Cd and Hg intoxication enhance potassium conductance of MDCK cell membranes. However, the channels activated apparently differ.

OSTI ID:
7190482
Journal Information:
FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (USA), Vol. 3:3; ISSN 0892-6638
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English