P Q-TYPE CALCIUM CHANNELS ACTIVATE NEIGHBORING CALCIUM-DEPENDENT POTASSIUM CHANNELS IN MOUSE MOTOR-NERVE TERMINALS/

The identity of the voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC), which t rigger the Ca2+-gated K+ currents (I-K(Ca)) in mammalian motor nerve t erminals, was investigated by means of perineurial recordings. The eff ects of Ca2+ chelators with different binding kinetics on the activati on of I-K(Ca) were also examined. The calcium channel blockers of the P/Q family, omega-agatoxin IVA (omega-Aga-IVA) and funnel-web spider t oxin (FTX), have been shown to exert a strong blocking effect on I-K(C a). in contrast, nitrendipine and omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CgTx) di d not affect the Ca2+-activated K+ currents. The intracellular action of the fast Ca2+ buffers BAPTA and DM-BAPTA prevented the activation o f the I-K(Ca), while the slow Ca2+ buffer EGTA was ineffective at bloc king it. These data indicate that P/Q-type VDCC mediate the Ca2+ influ x which activates I-K(Ca). The spatial association between Ca2+ and Ca 2+-gated K+ channels is discussed, on the basis of the differential ef fects of the fast and slow Ca2+ chelators.