Single Na+ channel currents observed in cultured rat muscle cells

Sigworth, F.J.; Neher, Erwin

doi:10.1038/287447a0

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Single Na⁺ channel currents observed in cultured rat muscle cells

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Sigworth, F.J.
Department of Membrane Biophysics, MPI for biophysical chemistry, Max Planck Society;

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Neher, Erwin
Department of Membrane Biophysics, MPI for biophysical chemistry, Max Planck Society;

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Citation

Sigworth, F., & Neher, E. (1980). Single Na⁺ channel currents observed in cultured rat muscle cells. Nature, 287(5781), 447-449. doi:10.1038/287447a0.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000C-1108-8

Abstract

The voltage- and time-dependent conductance of membrane Na⁺ channels is responsible for the propagation of action potentials in nerve and muscle cells. In voltage-step-clamp experiments on neurone preparations containing 10⁴–10⁷ Na⁺ channels the membrane conductance shows smooth variations in time, but analysis of fluctuations and other evidence suggest that the underlying single-channel conductance changes are stochastic, rapid transitions between ‘closed’ and ‘Open’ states as seen in other channel types. We report here the first observations of currents through individual Na⁺ channels under physiological conditions using an improved version of the extracellular patch-clamp technique on cultured rat muscle cells. Our observations support earlier inferences about channel gating and show a single-channel conductance of approximately 18 pS.