[Changes in the membrane potential of rat peritoneal macrophages under the extracellular action of ATP]

In rat peritoneal macrophages the patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration was used to study modifications of membrane potential as a result of extracellular application of micromolar ATP concentration. The registered changes in membrane potential appeared to be of different form and polarization depending on the presence of Ca2+ in extracellular solution and on the concentration of calcium buffer inside the cell. A mechanism of membrane potential changes and their possible connection with the generation of a Ca2+ signal in the cell are discussed.