Inwardly rectifying potassium (IRK) currents are correlated with IRK subunit expression in rat nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons.

ABSTRACT: Inwardly rectifying K+ (IRK) channels are critical for shaping cell excitability. Whole-cell patch-clamp and single-cell RT-PCR techniques were used to characterize the inwardly rectifying K+ currents found in projection neurons of the rat nucleus accumbens. Inwardly rectifying currents were highly selective for K+ and blocked by low millimolar concentrations of Cs+ or Ba2+. In a subset of neurons, the inwardly rectifying current appeared to inactivate at hyperpolarized membrane potentials. In an attempt to identify this subset, neurons were profiled using single-cell RT-PCR. Neurons expressing substance P mRNA exhibited noninactivating inward rectifier currents, whereas neurons expressing enkephalin mRNA exhibited inactivating inward rectifier currents. The inactivation of the inward rect

SUBMITTER: Mermelstein PG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6792959 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature