Modulation of A-type potassium currents in retinal horizontal cells by extracellular calcium and zinc

Extracellular Ca2+ and Zn2+ influence many aspects of retinal function. Here, we examined the effect of external Ca2+ and Zn2+ on potassium channels of retinal horizontal cells. When extracellular Ca2+ was lowered from 3 mM to 0.3 mM, horizontal cell transient outward currents elicited by voltage steps from resting membrane potential (-70 mV) were decreased by approximately 50%, whereas the sustained currents remained unchanged. This effect was due to a hyperpolarizing shift in the steady-state inactivation curve of A-type K+ currents when extracellular Ca2+ concentration was lowered. The mean half inactivation potential of the steady-state inactivation curves was hyperpolarized from -56.3 +/- 4.7 mV in 3 mM Ca2+ to -76.4 +/- 3.9 mV in 0.3 mM Ca2+. Neither the state-steady activation curve nor the kinetics of inactivation was significantly changed in low extracellular Ca2+. The addition of 30 microM Zn2+ restored peak outward currents in 0.3 mM Ca2+. The half inactivation voltages were depolarized from -70 +/- 2.8 mV in 0.3 mM Ca2+ to -56 +/- 2.6 mV in 0.3 mM Ca2+ plus 30 microM Zn2+. Taken together, the results indicate that external Ca2+ and Zn2+ maintain the activity of A-type potassium channels in retinal horizontal cells by influencing the voltage dependence of steady-state inactivation.