Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv1.3 , Slo1

Title: Potassium channels in rat prostate epithelial cells.

Authors: H Ouadid-Ahidouch, F Van Coppenolle, X Le Bourhis, A Belhaj, N Prevarskaya

Journal, date & volume: FEBS Lett., 1999 Oct 1 , 459, 15-21

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10508909

Abstract
Voltage-dependent K(+) channels were identified and characterized in primary culture of rat prostate epithelial cells. A voltage-dependent, inactivating K(+) channel was the most commonly observed ion channel in both lateral and dorsal cells. The K(+) current exhibited a voltage threshold at -40 mV. Averaged half-inactivation potential (V(1/2)) and the slope factor (k) values were -26 mV and 6, respectively. It showed a monoexponential decay with an inactivation time constant of about 600 ms at +60 mV. The deactivation time constant at -60 mV was 30 ms and the reversal potential was estimated at -80 mV, suggesting that current was carried by potassium ions. The scorpion venom peptides charybdotoxin (5 nM) and margatoxin (1 nM), inhibited K(+) current at all membrane potentials with a rapid and a slow reversibility respectively. Both tetraethylammonium (10 mM) and 4-aminopyridine (50 microM) reduced K(+) current by approximately 40%. We conclude that plasma membranes of lateral and dorsal rat prostate epithelial cells contain Kv K(+) channels that have biophysical and pharmacological properties consistent with those of the Kv1.3 family.