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A gadolinium and pH-sensitive hyperpolarization-activated cation current in acutely isolated single neurones from Fasciola hepatica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2003

H. S. KIM
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon 301-131, Korea
K. Y. KAM
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Suwon 441-744, Korea
P. D. RYU
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Suwon 441-744, Korea
S. J. HONG
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 156-756, Korea
J. S. JEON
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon 301-131, Korea
B. H. JEON
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon 301-131, Korea
K. J. KIM
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon 301-131, Korea
J. B. PARK
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Taejeon 301-131, Korea

Abstract

Fasciola hepatica, a parasitic flatworm belonging to the Class Trematoda, is one of the first metazoan groups to possess a centralized nervous system. However, the electrophysiological properties of neurones in F. hepatica are largely unknown. In the present study, we acutely isolated viable neurones from F. hepatica and characterized their electrophysiological properties. A hyperpolarization-activated cation current was recorded in the cells using the whole-cell patch-clamp. The current was found to be activated slowly at membrane potentials negative to 0 mV and did not display any time-dependent inactivation. This current was reduced by 1 mM Gd3+ to the level of the leak current, while 3 mM of Cs+ had no effect. However, the current was inhibited by extracellular acidosis in the pH range 7.0–7.8, and the membrane potentials of these cells were depolarized by extracellular alkalosis in the pH range of 5.8 to 8.2. Gd3+ (1 mM), which inhibited the pH-sensitive hyperpolarization-activated cation current, also hyperpolarized the cells. In summary, we isolated single neurones from F. hepatica, and these were found to express a pH-sensitive hyperpolarization-activated cation current. This current may participate in the membrane depolarization of F. hepatica neurones during alkaline challenge.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

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