Effect of the general anesthetic halothane on the activity of the transverse tubule Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel

Authors

Troy Beeler, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Kenneth Gable, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Date of this Version

1993

Comments

Published in FEBS (1993) 331(3), 207-210

Abstract

The effect of the general anesthetic halothane on the activity of the rat skeletal muscle Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel in planar lipid bilayers was investigated. Halothane concentrations in the clinical range (1.0-0.2 mM) alter the regulation of the channel by both Ca²⁺ and membrane potential. At Ca²⁺ concentrations between 10 and 250 µM and membrane potentials between 0 and -30 mV, halothane significantly decreases the open state probability without changing the channel conductance. The results demonstrate that halothane can act directly on the Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channel or its lipid environment to alter the channel Bating kinetics.