Thrombin induces a number of physiological responses in several types of cells. To determine the action of thrombin in the vein, the electrophysiological and mechanical effects of thrombin were studied in rat portal vein smooth muscle cells. Ca2' channel currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Thrombin had both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on the Ca2' channel cu...

Thrombin induces a number of physiological responses in several types of cells. To determine the action of thrombin in the vein, the electrophysiological and mechanical effects of thrombin were studied in rat portal vein smooth muscle cells. Ca2+ channel currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Thrombin had both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on the Ca2+ channel cu...

CLIC-1 is a member of a family of proteins related to the bovine intracellular chloride channel p64 which has been proposed to function as a chloride channel. We expressed CLIC-1 as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein in bacteria. The fusion protein was purified by glutathione affinity, and CLIC-1 was released from its fusion partner by digestion with thrombin. After further purification...

The effects of polypeptide neurotoxin from Anemonia sulcata on nerve conduction in crayfish giant axons and on frog myelinated fibers have been analyzed. The main features of toxin action are the following: (i) the toxin acts at very low doses and its action is apparently irreversible. (ii) The toxin selectively affects the closing (inactivation) of the Na+ channel by slowing it down considerab...

The protein for the swelling-activated chloride conductance is one of the few ion channels left for which we do not have a universally acceptable clone. In this brief note, I hope to describe why chloride channels in general, and I Cl.swell in particular, have been difficult to pin down. Dr. Strange describes why he believes the pICln protein is not I Cl.swell . I agree. In 1995 we demonstrated...

Chloride transport proteins play critical roles in inflammatory airway diseases, contributing to the detrimental aspects of mucus overproduction, mucus secretion, and airway constriction. However, they also play crucial roles in contributing to the innate immune properties of mucus and mucociliary clearance. In this review, we focus on the emerging novel roles for a chloride channel regulator (...

Water deficit strongly affects crop productivity. Plants control water loss and CO2 uptake by regulating the aperture of the stomatal pores within the leaf epidermis. Stomata aperture is regulated by the two guard cells forming the pore and changing their size in response to ion uptake and release. While our knowledge about potassium and chloride fluxes across the plasma membrane of guard cells...