Summary
Current passing through single stretch-activated ion channels was studied on the soma and primary dendrites of stretch receptor neurons of the crayfish Orconectes limosus. When the membrane of the patch was deformed by applying suction to the pipette, a marked nonlinear increase in single channel activity was observed. Two classes of mechanically gated channels were identified with similar conductance properties but different voltage range of activation and different sensitivity to membrane tension. The first type showed strong inward rectification and responded only weakly to membrane tension. The second type was largely voltage independent and more sensitive to membrane tension with an average value of 5.6 ± 2.2 (S.D., n=5) mm Hg for an e-fold change in suction. This channel was permeable to mono- and divalent cations. Current-voltage relationships were linear with slope conductances of 71 ± 11 (S.D., n=3) pS for K+. 50 ± 7.4 (n=5) pS for Na+. and 23 pS for Ca++. The data suggest that this (second) channel is responsible for the mechanotransduction process in the stretch receptor neuron.
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Erxleben, C. (1990). Cellular Basis of Mechanical Transduction in the Abdominal Stretch Receptor of the Crayfish. In: Wiese, K., Krenz, WD., Tautz, J., Reichert, H., Mulloney, B. (eds) Frontiers in Crustacean Neurobiology. Advances in Life Sciences. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5689-8_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-5689-8_8
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