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Mechanism of Cl sensitivity in internal ion receptors of the leech; an inward current gated off by Cl in the nephridial nerve cells

Journal of Comparative Physiology A, ISSN: 0340-7594, Vol: 168, Issue: 1, Page: 53-61
1991
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The nephridial nerve cells of the leech, Hirudo medicinalis, 34 sensory cells, each associated with one nephridium, are sensitive to changes in extracellular Cl concentration, an important factor in ion homeostasis. Using single-electrode current- and voltage clamp and ion substitution techniques, the specificity and mechanism of Cl sensitivity of the nephridial nerve cell was studied in isolated preparations. Increase of the normally low external Cl concentration leads to immediate and sustained hyperpolarization, decrease of the frequency of bursts and decrease of membrane conductance. The response is halogen specific: Cl can be replaced by Br, but not by organic mono- or divalent anions or inorganic divalent anions. At physiological Cl concentrations (36m M extra-cellular Cl), the nephridial nerve cell has a high resting conductance for Cl and the membrane potential is governed by Cl. In high extracellular Cl concentrations (110-130 m M), membrane conductance is low, most likely due to the gating off of Cl channels. Under these conditions, membrane potential is dominated by the K distribution and the nephridial nerve cell hyperpolarizes towards E. © 1991 Springer-Verlag.

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