Single channel activity associated with the calcium dependent outward current in Helix pomatia

A recently improved version of the extracellular patch clamp technique (9, 13) was used to record currents from microscopic membrane areas of Helix neurons with predominant Ca2+ dependent outward currents. Current fluctuations in the patches consisted mainly of frequently interrupted, one-sided steps indicating discrete open-closed state changes of single channels with an ohmic conductance of approximately 19 pS. Frequency of occurrence of the elementary events compares with amplitudes of macroscopic currents during depolarizing voltage steps of varied amplitude. Average delays in appearance of the events vary in line with delayed time courses of the cell's outward current.