Cholesterol is a major component of cell membranes and influences membrane fluidity. Watanabe heritable hyperpercholesterolaemic rabbits (WHHL) possess defective receptors for low density lipoprotein leading to increased plasma cholesterol, accumulation of cholesterol in the arterial wall and atherosclerosis. In this study calcium channel currents (I Ba ) were compared using conventional whole cell voltage clamp techniques in ear artery cells isolated from control New Zealand White rabbits (NZ) with those from WHHL. I Ba were larger in cells isolated from NZ than from WHHL, however cell

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