KINETIC-PROPERTIES OF NICOTINIC RECEPTORS IN CULTURED RAT SYMPATHETICNEURONS FROM SUPERIOR CERVICAL-GANGLIA

AIM: To analyze the kinetic properties of the effect of nicotine on ni cotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in the cultured sympathetic ne urons from neonatal rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG). METHODS: The whole-cell recording method of patch-clamp technique was used to recor d the currents induced by different concentrations of nicotine. The co ncentration-response of nicotine was fitted with Clark equation. RESUL TS: Hill coefficient (1.097) was determined by fitting the nicotine re sponses of neuronal nAChR with Clark equation. The theoretical values of nicotine effect, calculated with Clark equation with H = 1, were ba sically identical with the practically recorded currents. CONCLUSIONS: Interaction of nicotine and nAChR in rat SCG fits a single binding si te model.