1. Voltage-dependent sodium channels are important for neuronal signal prop
agation and integration. 2. Non-mammalian preparations, such as squid giant
axon, have sodium channels which have been found to be insensitive to clin
ical anesthetic concentrations. 3. On the other hand, sodium channels from
mammalian neurons are much more sensitive to block by volatile anesthetics.
4. Due to a significant hyperpolarizing shift in steady-slate inactivation
, IC(50)s for sodium channel block at potentials close to the resting membr
ane potential overlapped with clinical anesthetic concentrations. 5. Hence,
sodium channels in mammalian neurons may be sensitive molecular targets of
volatile anesthetics. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.
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