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Selected Publication:
Olschewski, A; Olschewski, H; Bräu, ME; Hempelmann, G; Vogel, W; Safronov, BV.
Basic electrical properties of in situ endothelial cells of small pulmonary arteries during postnatal development.
Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2001; 25(3):285-290
Doi: 10.1165/ajrcmb.25.3.4373
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- Leading authors Med Uni Graz
- Olschewski Andrea
- Co-authors Med Uni Graz
- Olschewski Horst
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- Abstract:
- Small pulmonary arteries are the major determinants of pulmonary artery pressure and vascular resistance. Their endothelium modulates pulmonary resistance, remodeling, and blood fluidity. We developed a method that provides access to the luminal surface of small pulmonary arteries of rat and allows the patch-clamp study of electrical properties of in situ endothelium. At birth, the membrane was predominantly permeable for K(+), showing a resting potential of -70 mV. This conductance was not voltage-dependent and was insensitive to standard blockers of K(+) channels such as tetraethylammonium, charybdotoxin, and 4-aminopyridine. The first 22 d of development were accompanied by an additional expression of a Cl(-) conductance, increasing membrane potential to -45 mV. Acidosis reduced K(+) conductance and depolarized the membrane, whereas alkalosis resulted in hyperpolarization. Two-electrode recordings revealed tight electrical coupling (83%) between neighboring cells in the circumferential direction of the artery. The electrotonic length constant for endothelium was 13.3 microm, indicating that most cells in one cross section of a small artery are well coupled. Thus, the resting membrane conductances in small pulmonary artery endothelial cells change with postnatal development and are modulated by pH.
- Find related publications in this database (using NLM MeSH Indexing)
- Age Factors -
- Animals -
- Animals, Newborn -
- Cell Communication - physiology
- Chlorides - metabolism
- Endothelium, Vascular - cytology
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration - cytology
- Ion Channels - antagonists and inhibitors
- Membrane Potentials - physiology
- Patch-Clamp Techniques - physiology
- Potassium - metabolism
- Pulmonary Artery - cytology
- Rats - cytology
- Tetraethylammonium - pharmacology