Intracellular magnesium blocks sodium outward currents in a voltage- and dose-dependent manner

Tail currents through Na+ channels have been measured in inside-out patches from Xenopus laevis oocytes injected with cDNA-derived mRNA coding for the rat brain type II Na+ channel. It is shown that intracellular Mg2+ blocks outward currents in a voltage- and dose-dependent manner with a half blocking concentration between 3 and 4 mM at 0 mV and a voltage dependence of e-fold per 49 mV.