C. Choby et al., Evidence for tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium currents in primary cultured myocytes from human, pig and rabbit arteries, PFLUG ARCH, 440(1), 2000, pp. 149-152
Primary cultured human coronary myocytes express a tetrodotoxin-sensitive s
odium current (I-Na). Here, we have investigated whether I-Na is expressed
in vascular smooth muscles cells (VSMCs) isolated from other large arteries
, and other mammals. VSMCs were enzymatically dissociated, kept in primary
culture, and macroscopic I-Na was recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp
technique. We found that I-Na is expressed in VSMCs grown from human aorti
c (90%; n=50) and pulmonary (44%; n=19) arteries, and in the human aortic m
yocyte cell line HAVSMC (94%; n=27). I-Na was also detected in pig coronary
(60%; n=33), and rabbit aortic (47%; n=15), but not in rat aortic VSMCs (n
=20). These different I-Na had similar voltage thresholds for activation (c
ongruent to 50 mV), and were highly sensitive to extracellularly applied te
trodotoxin. We conclude that I-Na is expressed in VSMCs grown from various
types of large arteries in humans, pig and rabbit.