Tetraalkylammonium ion block of potassium currents in mouse neuroblastoma cells

Experiments were performed to compare the mechanism of block of the delayed rectifier K+ channels in cultured mouse neuroblastoma cells by various derivatives of tetraethylammonium (TEA) which have symmetric alkyl chains of one to six carbons. Current from the whole cell was studied using the patch clamp technique. TEA blocked the whole cell K+ current with a Ki of 0.6 mM when applied to the external solution. The Ki for block by other derivatives were (mM): tetrapropylammonium, 9.2; tetrabutylammonium (TBA), 1.9; tetrapentylammonium (TPeA), 0.088; and tetrahexylammonium, (THA), 0.006. Block of the whole cell current by TEA or tetrapropylammonium did not increase with time after a step depolarization. However, block by TBA, TPeA or THA was time dependent. TEA did not compete with TPeA for the same receptor. Block by externally applied TEA was not appreciably voltage dependent, and the receptor for TPeA had an apparent electrical distance of 0.3. These observations suggest that TEA and TPeA block at separate receptors. THA could block the open channel in cell-attached patches when the compound was applied to the bath. This observation and the observation that externally applied TPeA and TEA do not occupy the same receptor suggest that derivatives having long alkyl chain lengths can reach the internal receptor from the external solution.