Background inward current in ventricular and atrial cells of the guinea-pig

Atrial and ventricular myocytes were exposed to Ca(2+)- and K(+)-free solutions containing blockers of gated channel and exchange currents. Replacement of external sodium by large organic cations revealed a background sodium current ib,Na. In atrial cells, the average conductance was 5.0 pS pF-1. In ventricular cells the conductance was 2.3 pS pF-1. Together with previous results, these figures reveal a strong gradient of background current density: sinus > atrium > ventricle. Replacement of sodium with inorganic cations showed that the channel selectivity behaves like an Eisenman group III/IV sequence, in agreement with previous results. The permeability of the channel to TMA was found to be pH dependent, suggesting that protonation of the channel is a factor determining permeation in addition to ionic size. The values of gb,Na obtained from these experiments are very similar to those assumed in computer modelling of cardiac cell electrical activity.