Analysing ion channels with hidden Markov models

Ion channel current amplitudes (mu) and open probabilities (Po) have been analysed so far by defining a 50% threshold to distinguish between open and closed states of the channels. With this standard method (SM) it is very difficult or even impossible to analyse channels of different size in one membrane patch correctly. A stochastical model, named the hidden Markov model (HMM), separates between observation noise and the stochastic process of opening and closing of ion channels. The HMM allows the independent analysis of mu, Po, and mean dwell times (tau) of different channels in one membrane patch, without defining threshold levels. Using this method errors in the analysis are not summarized like in the SM because all different analysing procedures (e.g. filtering, setting of threshold, fitting processes) are done in one step. Two different K+ channels in excised basolateral membranes of the cortical collecting duct of rat (CCD) were analysed by the SM and the HMM. The mu value of the intermediate-conductance K+ channel (i-K+) was 3.9 +/- 0.1 pA (SM) and 3.8 +/- 0.2 pA (HMM) for 11 observations. The Po value of this channel was 10.2 +/- 4.2% (SM) and 10.1 +/- 4.0% (HMM). The mean tau values were 5.4 +/- 0.6 ms for the open state and 9.6 +/- 2.2 ms and 145 +/- 21 ms for the closed states (SM) and 7.8 +/- 1.1 ms, 7.7 +/- 0.9 ms and 148 +/- 24 ms (HMM), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)