Calcium current in molluscan neurones: measurement under conditions which maximize its visibility

1. Membrane currents were studied in isolated somata of molluscan neurones from Archidoris monteryensis and Anisodoris nobilis. Under voltage clamp, inward current displayed a two phase time course, and in some cases a clear reversal potential difference could be shown for the fast and slow phases. The slower phase was carried predominantly by calcium ions. 2. The apparent magnitude of the slower phase was greatly influenced by conditions which altered potassium current flow. Blocking voltage-dependent potassium conductances, either by appropriate conditioning polarizations or by tetraethyl-ammonium (TEA) ion, enhanced the magnitude, while conditions which augmented potassium current made the slow phase disappear. 3. A fraction of the membrane potassium conductance was TEA insensitive. This fraction could be blocked by procedures which prevented internal levels of calcium from increasing during the voltage clamp pulse. Three such procedures were demonstrated; replacement of external calcium by magnesium, internal buffering by EGTA, and replacement of calcium by permeant barium. 4. Internal EGTA buffering or external barium in combination with external TEA produced an extreme change in membrane current as compared with the normal time course. Membrane current, when activated by pulses up to +50 mV, was net inward and showed only fractional inactivation over time courses running to several seconds. Pulses to voltages greater than +60 mV resulted in outward current. 5. It is concluded that under normal conditions the calcium conductance has the extended time course clearly evident under the modified conditions of paragraph 4 but that the calcium flux component is easily missed. 6. In agreement with several prior studies it is also concluded that a rise in internal calcium is causally related to a rise in potassium conductance. A transmembrane flux of calcium can be uncoupled from the gK increase by appropriate buffering of internal calcium. 7. The transient potassium current, IA, which bears a resemblance to calcium-dependent potassium transients in some muscle cells did not depend upon internal calcium but instead is a voltage-activated mechanism.