Biomaterial Database

A voltage-gated anion channel from the electric organ of Torpedo californica. 1979

M M White, and C Miller

Addition of membrane vesicles prepared from the electric organ of Torpedo californica to the aqueous phase of a planar phospholipid bilayer system results in a large (up to 3 orders of magnitude) stepwise increase in membrane conductance. This increased conductance consists of two components: an ohmic background "leak" and a voltage-dependent, ideally anion-selective conductance. The anion conductance is low at voltages greater than +10 mV, rises sharply as the voltage becomes negative, and then saturates as the voltage becomes highly negative. (The trans side of the bilayer, to which vesicles are not added, is defined as ground.) Under high amplification, the anion conductance shows single channel behavior with a voltage-independent, single channel conductance of 13.9 +/- 0.1 pmho in 0.1 M Cl-. Furthermore, the anion channel, but not the background conductance, is inhibited by submillimolar concentrations of SITS and DIDS, two well known anion transport inhibitors. The inhibition is seen only when SITS or DIDS is added to the cis side. No cholinergic agents tested have any effect on the channel.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007473	Ion Channels	Gated, ion-selective glycoproteins that traverse membranes. The stimulus for ION CHANNEL GATING can be due to a variety of stimuli such as LIGANDS, a TRANSMEMBRANE POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE, mechanical deformation or through INTRACELLULAR SIGNALING PEPTIDES AND PROTEINS.	Membrane Channels,Ion Channel,Ionic Channel,Ionic Channels,Membrane Channel,Channel, Ion,Channel, Ionic,Channel, Membrane,Channels, Ion,Channels, Ionic,Channels, Membrane
D008563	Membrane Lipids	Lipids, predominantly phospholipids, cholesterol and small amounts of glycolipids found in membranes including cellular and intracellular membranes. These lipids may be arranged in bilayers in the membranes with integral proteins between the layers and peripheral proteins attached to the outside. Membrane lipids are required for active transport, several enzymatic activities and membrane formation.	Cell Membrane Lipid,Cell Membrane Lipids,Membrane Lipid,Lipid, Cell Membrane,Lipid, Membrane,Lipids, Cell Membrane,Lipids, Membrane,Membrane Lipid, Cell,Membrane Lipids, Cell
D002462	Cell Membrane	The lipid- and protein-containing, selectively permeable membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.	Plasma Membrane,Cytoplasmic Membrane,Cell Membranes,Cytoplasmic Membranes,Membrane, Cell,Membrane, Cytoplasmic,Membrane, Plasma,Membranes, Cell,Membranes, Cytoplasmic,Membranes, Plasma,Plasma Membranes
D002712	Chlorides	Inorganic compounds derived from hydrochloric acid that contain the Cl- ion.	Chloride,Chloride Ion Level,Ion Level, Chloride,Level, Chloride Ion
D004553	Electric Conductivity	The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS.	Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D004557	Electric Organ	In about 250 species of electric fishes, modified muscle fibers forming disklike multinucleate plates arranged in stacks like batteries in series and embedded in a gelatinous matrix. A large torpedo ray may have half a million plates. Muscles in different parts of the body may be modified, i.e., the trunk and tail in the electric eel, the hyobranchial apparatus in the electric ray, and extrinsic eye muscles in the stargazers. Powerful electric organs emit pulses in brief bursts several times a second. They serve to stun prey and ward off predators. A large torpedo ray can produce of shock of more than 200 volts, capable of stunning a human. (Storer et al., General Zoology, 6th ed, p672)	Electric Organs,Organ, Electric,Organs, Electric
D004558	Electric Stimulation	Use of electric potential or currents to elicit biological responses.	Stimulation, Electric,Electrical Stimulation,Electric Stimulations,Electrical Stimulations,Stimulation, Electrical,Stimulations, Electric,Stimulations, Electrical
D005399	Fishes	A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012856	4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid	A non-penetrating amino reagent (commonly called SITS) which acts as an inhibitor of anion transport in erythrocytes and other cells.	4-Acetamido-4'-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic Acid, Disodium Salt,SITS,SITS Disodium Salt,4 Acetamido 4' isothiocyanatostilbene 2,2' disulfonic Acid,Disodium Salt, SITS