An investigation on the inactivation process of sodium currents in single frog ventricular cells

The characteristics of sodium currents (INa) in single frog ventricular cells were studied with the oil gap method. This method improves time- and space-control of the membrane potential under the voltage clamp, thereby making possible accurate analysis of fast events of INa. In this preparation the threshold of INa was about -60 mV and the reversal potential was 58 mV, which is close to the value calculated by the Nernst equation for sodium ions. Because the instantaneous current-voltage (I-V) relationship is linear, the ease of permeation of sodium ions through Na+ channels is well expressed by the chord conductance. The falling phase of INa and the time course of recovery from inactivation follow a time course of single exponential function. The time constants for on- and off-processes of inactivation at the same membrane potential are very close to each other, indicating only a single state of inactivation. Though almost all properties of INa were well described by Hodgkin-Huxley's model, a clear delay of onset of inactivation was demonstrated by two-pulse experiment. In this report the modified kinetics scheme was proposed which can account for both a delay of onset of inactivation development and a falling phase of INa that follows a single exponential time course.