Ca2+ modulates an unspecific cation conductance in olfactory cilia of Xenopus laevis

Olfactory neurones of Xenopus laevis were studied by the patch clamp technique under voltage-clamp conditions. Isolated receptor cells were obtained by dissociating the olfactory mucosa in a Ca(2+)-free solution. Usually some of the resulting isolated olfactory cells lost all of their cilia during the dissociation procedure. Comparing the currents of cells with cilia to those of cells without cilia, a marked difference was found. When all known voltage-gated currents except the Ca(2+)-current were blocked, cells without cilia showed the voltage-gated Ca(2+)-current alone whereas cells with cilia clearly had an additional conductance gc. It could be activated in two ways, either by Ca2+ entry through Ca(2+)-channels or by Ca2+ entry through the Na/Ca-exchanger working in the reversed mode at positive membrane potentials. This ciliar conductance gc had its reversal potential at 0 mV. Replacing extracellular Cl- by isethionate on the one hand, and Na+ by Cs+ or N-methyl-D-glucamine on the other showed that gc was permeable for cations but not for Cl-. In conclusion, there appears to be a Ca(2+)-dependent unselective cation conductance on the cilia of olfactory neurones. The probable role of gc as the last step an IP3/Ca mediated transduction pathway is suggested.