Single chloride-selective channel from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum studied in planar lipid bilayers

The behavior of single Cl- channel was studied by fusing isolated canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles into planar lipid bilayers. The channel exhibited unitary conductance of 55 pS (in 260 mM Cl-) and steady-state activation. Subconductance states were observed. Open probability was dependent on holding potentials (-60 to +60 mV) and displayed a bell-shaped relationship, with probability values ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 with a maximum at -10 mV. Channel activity was irreversibly inhibited by DIDS, a stilbene derivative. Time analysis revealed the presence of one time constant for the full open state and three time constants for the closed states. The open and the longer closed time constants were found to be voltage dependent. The behavior of the channel was not affected by changing Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations in both chambers, nor by adding millimolar adenosine triphosphate, or by changing the pH from 7.4 to 6.8. The presence of sulfate anions decreased the unit current amplitude, but did not affect the open probability. These results reveal that at the unitary level the cardiac SR anion-selective channel has distinctive as well as similar electrical properties characteristic of other types of Cl- channels.