We investigated the densities of the L-type Ca(2+) current, i(Ca,L), and various Ca(2+) handling proteins in rabbit sinoatrial (SA) node. The density of i(Ca,L), recorded with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique, varied widely in sinoatrial node cells. The density of i(Ca,L) was significantly (p<0.001) correlated with cell capacitance (measure of cell size) and the density was greater in larger cells (likely to be from the periphery of the SA node) than in smaller cells (likely to be from the center of the SA node). Immunocytochemical labeling of the L-type Ca(2+) channel, Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchanger, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) release channel (RYR2), and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) pump (SERCA2) also varied widely in SA node cells. In all cases there was significantly (p<0.05) denser labeling of cells from the periphery of the SA node than of cells from the center. In contrast, immunocytochemical labeling of the Na(+)-K(+) pump was similar in peripheral and central cells. We conclude that Ca(2+) handling proteins are sparse and poorly organized in the center of the SA node (normally the leading pacemaker site), whereas they are more abundant in the periphery (at the border of the SA node with the surrounding atrial muscle).

Sequential changes in action potential configuration, 4-amino-pyridine-sensitive transient outward current (Ito), and L-type calcium current (ICa) in association with hypertrophy were investigated in ventricular myocytes from rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension. The tissue weight ratio of right ventricle (RV) to left ventricle plus septum 14 and 28 days after a subcutaneous injection of MCT increased by 29.7 and 77.2%, respectively. Action potential duration (APD) of RV cells from MCT rats increased progressively, prolonged by 73.2 and 92.2% on days 14 and 28, respectively. The current density of Ito in RV cells from MCT rats on day 14 (32.5 +/- 4.5 pA/pF, n = 13) was significantly larger than in controls (26.8 +/- 4.5 pA/pF, n = 8; P < 0.05). On day 28, however, Ito density in MCT rats (15.3 +/- 4.6 pA/pF, n = 9) was significantly less than in controls (27.3 +/- 4.2 pA/pF, n = 10; P < 0.05). There were no differences in the voltage dependence of steady-state activation and inactivation of Ito between MCT and control rats. ICa density in MCT rats on day 14 (15.7 +/- 2.6 pA/pF, n = 10) was significantly larger than in controls (10.0 +/- 2.3 pA/pF, n = 10; P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in Ito density between MCT rats (8.3 +/- 3.7 pA/pF, n = 10) and controls (11.6 +/- 3.0 pA/pF, n = 10) on day 28. These findings suggest that hypertrophy of mammalian hearts may cause stage-dependent changes in Ito and ICa density of ventricular myocytes. The APD prolongation in the early stage of hypertrophy may be caused mainly by an increase in ICa density, whereas the APD prolongation in the late stage may be ascribed to a reduction in Ito density.

The contribution of inactivation of the L-type Ca2+ current (iCa) to overdrive suppression was investigated in rabbit sinoatrial (SA) node cells by use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique. In the current-clamp mode, rapid stimulation (6.7 Hz) for 30 s was followed by a transient increase in the cycle length of spontaneous action potentials of 135 +/- 52% (n = 3), i.e., "overdrive suppression." The iCa was measured in the voltage-clamp mode in the presence of 30 microM tetrodotoxin. An increase in the rate of depolarizing pulses (to 0 mV for 100 ms) from 1 to 6.7 Hz from a holding potential (HP) of -40 mV resulted in an abrupt, followed by a progressive, decrease in iCa; after 30 s of stimulation at 6.7 Hz, iCa was reduced to 15.5 +/- 1.8% (n = 4) of the control at 1 Hz. With an HP of -80 mV, a similar increase in the pulse rate caused much less reduction in iCa. When spontaneous action potentials were interrupted by a 30-s train of high-frequency voltage-clamp pulses (to 0 mV for 100 ms; 6.7 Hz) from an HP of -40 mV, there was again a marked decrease in iCa during the train, and after the train there was a transient suppression of spontaneous activity. In contrast, a similar interruption by high-frequency voltage-clamp pulses from an HP of -80 mV caused no decrease in iCa, and there was no suppression of spontaneous activity after the train. Neither delayed rectifier K+ current nor hyperpolarization-activated current was affected after a train of high-frequency voltage-clamp pulses. These findings suggest that overdrive suppression in the SA node is, in part at least, the result of a rate- and voltage-dependent inactivation of iCa.

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