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Updated: Oct 13, 2026

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells
Published on: October 1, 2010
Effects of K+ channel openers on the vascular actions of human gamma globulin
1Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to determine if the stimulatory action of human gamma globulin on the spontaneous activity of the rat mesenteric portal vein is due to decreased K+ conductance. Glibenclamide potentiated the action of human gamma-globulin on the portal vein by 45% and on its own had a concentration- and time-dependent biphasic (increase followed by a decrease) effect on the spontaneous activity of the portal vein. Diazoxide and pinacidil both inhibited the action of human gamma-globulin on the rat mesenteric portal vein. Levcromakalim (BRL 38227) potentiated the stimulatory action of human gamma-globulin on the integrated force of the spontaneous contractions of the rat mesenteric portal vein by 40% and 49% at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 microM, respectively. These studies suggest that human gamma-globulin can act by directly modulating a K+ channel.
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