Abstract:
AIM: To study the effects of various extracellular Ca
2+ concentration and amiloride on Na
+-Ca
2+ exchange current(I
Na-Ca) in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. METHODS: Through setting up the model of intracellular Na
+-overload during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, the current-voltage relationship of INa-Ca was recorded using whole-cell patch clamp technique with a declining ramp pulse protocol. RESULTS: Amiloride can block the INa-Ca significantly. At potential of +50 mV, amiloride 10
-5, 3×10
-5 and 10
-4 mol.L
-1 inhibited the I
Na-Ca by 15.4%, 22.6% and 40.9%, respectively; at potential of -80 mV amiloride inhibited I
Na-Ca by 5.6%, 14.6% and 23.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Intracellular Na
+-overload can activate Na
+-Ca
2+ exchange system which can be affected by extracellular Ca
2+. Amiloride can block I
Na-Ca in guinea pig ventricular myocytes. Its inhibition effects on outward currents were greater than those on inward currents.