Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique
07:19

Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique

Published on: February 7, 2025

Complex rectification of Müller cell Kir currents.

Yuriy V Kucheryavykh1, Yaroslav M Shuba, Sergei M Antonov

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Central del Caribe, School of Medicine, Bayamón, PR.

Glia
|February 23, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Cognitive Decline, Neurologic Involvement, and Neonatal Crisis in <i>ABCC9</i>-Related Intellectual Disability and Myopathy Syndrome.

Neurology. Genetics·2026
Same author

Subunit composition of the KATP channels that modulate contractility of skeletal muscle during fatigue.

The Journal of general physiology·2026
Same author

Gender-Associated Differences in the Regulation of Potassium Channels in Astrocytes of Type 2 Diabetic Mice.

Cells·2026
Same author

Cantu syndrome-associated SUR2[H60Y] mutation confers selective gain of function on Kir6.1 ATP-sensitive potassium channels.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2025
Same author

From Selective Permeation to Physiology in Potassium Channels.

Function (Oxford, England)·2025
Same author

Role of Glyoxalase in Astrocytes' Supportive Function Under Hyperglycemic Conditions: Aminoguanidine and Kir4.1 Channel Recovery.

Brain sciences·2025

This study reveals how spermine blocks Kir4.1 channels in glial cells under varying potassium and spermine levels. Understanding these potassium channel properties is crucial for glial cell function in the nervous system.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cellular Physiology
  • Ion Channel Function

Background:

  • Kir4.1 channels are key inwardly rectifying channels in glial cells, essential for potassium and glutamate uptake in the nervous system.
  • The behavior of Kir4.1 channels under dynamic conditions of potassium and polyamine concentrations is not well understood.
  • Polyamines, such as spermine, can significantly influence ion channel function, but their specific interactions with Kir4.1 in glial cells require detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the voltage-dependence of Kir4.1 channel potassium (K+) conductance.
  • To examine how external potassium concentration ([K+]o) and intracellular spermine concentration ([SP]) affect Kir4.1 channel properties.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of K+ buffering in Müller glial cells by characterizing Kir4.1 channel behavior under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

More Related Videos

Electrophysiological Recordings of Single-cell Ion Currents Under Well-defined Shear Stress
07:17

Electrophysiological Recordings of Single-cell Ion Currents Under Well-defined Shear Stress

Published on: August 2, 2019

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells
15:28

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells

Published on: October 1, 2010

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique
07:19

Recording of Inward Rectifying K+ Currents in Freshly Isolated Basilar Artery Smooth Muscle Cells by Patch Clamp Technique

Published on: February 7, 2025

Electrophysiological Recordings of Single-cell Ion Currents Under Well-defined Shear Stress
07:17

Electrophysiological Recordings of Single-cell Ion Currents Under Well-defined Shear Stress

Published on: August 2, 2019

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells
15:28

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells

Published on: October 1, 2010

Main Methods:

  • Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on Müller glial cells and tsA201 cells expressing recombinant Kir4.1 channels.
  • The voltage-dependence of K+ conductance was measured with varying extracellular [K+] and intracellular spermine ([SP]) concentrations.
  • A modified Woodhull model was used to fit current/voltage (i/V) curves and calculate free intracellular spermine concentration ([SP](in)).

Main Results:

  • Two distinct types of spermine block on Kir4.1 channels were identified: 'fast' and 'slow' block.
  • Fast block was highly voltage-dependent, sensitive to extracellular [K+], and less sensitive to spermine concentration.
  • Slow block was voltage-sensitive near resting membrane potential, largely independent of extracellular [K+], but sensitive to intracellular spermine and [K+]i, with a calculated free intracellular spermine concentration of 0.81 ± 0.24 mM in Müller glial cells.

Conclusions:

  • The biphasic block properties of Kir4.1 channels by spermine lead to significant rectification changes with varying [K+] and [SP].
  • These findings suggest a mechanism for K+ buffering in glial cells: relief of fast block during neuronal excitation promotes K+ influx, while increased intracellular [K+] relieves slow block, further enhancing K+ uptake.
  • The study confirms similar properties between glial Kir4.1 channels and recombinant Kir4.1, providing insights into glial K+ homeostasis and potential implications for neurological conditions.