The effect of zinc on the late displacement current in squid giant axons

1. Displacement currents produced by single depolarizing or hyperpolarizing voltage-clamp pulses (Idepol and Ihyperpol) were recorded from intracellularly perfused squid giant axons treated with tetrodotoxin and tetraethylammonium chloride. The effect of internal Zn on the slow part of the displacement current was studied at different holding potentials. 2. Internal Zn in a concentration of 3-3 mM markedly reduced the slow charge displacement associated with depolarizing and hyperpolarizing pulses. 3. At a holding potential more negative than -60 mV Idepol is normally larger than Ihyperpol if measured with pulses of equal height. The asymmetry Idepol greater than Ihyperpol (which possibly reflects the movement of gating charges) was abolished by Zn. 4. The reversed asymmetry Ihyperpol greater than Idepol which is normally seen at holding potentials less negative than -60 mV was not blocked by Zn. This suggests that the underlying mechanism is different from that of the asymmetry Idepol greater than Ihyperpol. 5. The Zn-sensitive slow charge displacement during single depolarizing pulses was strongly reduced by lowering the holding potential from about -90 to about -30 mV. 6. The observations with single clamp pulses were confirmed by averaging and summing the currents associated with an equal number of depolarizing and hyperpolarizing pulses. 7. The effect of internal Zn on the charge displacement is thought to be due to a reaction with mobile charges in the membrane dielectric. Internal Zn in a concentration of 0-5-1 mM did not significantly shift the Na inactivation curve, indicating that it does not react with surface charges at the inner side of the membrane.