Dependence of Na+-K+ pump current-voltage relationship on intracellular Na+, K+, and Cs+ in rabbit cardiac myocytes

Abstract

To examine effects of cytosolic Na+, K+, and Cs+ on the voltage dependence of the Na+-K+ pump, we measured Na+-K+ pump current ( I p) of ventricular myocytes voltage-clamped at potentials ( V m) from −100 to +60 mV. Superfusates were designed to eliminate voltage dependence at extracellular pump sites. The cytosolic compartment of myocytes was perfused with patch pipette solutions with a Na+ concentration ([Na]pip) of 80 mM and a K+ concentration from 0 to 80 mM or with solutions containing Na+ in concentrations from 0.1 to 100 mM and K+ in a concentration of either 0 or 80 mM. When [Na]pip was 80 mM, K+ in pipette solutions had a voltage-dependent inhibitory effect on I pand induced a negative slope of the I p- V m relationship. Cs+ in pipette solutions had an effect on I p qualitatively similar to that of K+. Increases in I p with increases in [Na]pip were voltage dependent. The dielectric coefficient derived from [Na]pip- I p relationships at the different test potentials was 0.15 when pipette solutions included 80 mM K+ and 0.06 when pipette solutions were K+free.