NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE-RECEPTORS IN PORCINE HYPOPHYSEAL INTERMEDIATE LOBE CELLS

1. Acetylcholine (ACh) was found to depolarize isolated porcine intermediate lobe cells maintained in primary cells culture. We investigated the ACh‐induced responses in both whole‐cell and cell‐attached configurations of the patch‐clamp technique. 2. From noise analysis of ACh‐evoked whole‐cell currents, we estimated an elementary conductance of 20 pS and a channel open duration of about 1.7 ms at ‐60 mV. From single‐channel recordings, we obtained a slope conductance of 26 pS and a mean open time of 1.8 ms at membrane potentials between ‐60 and ‐80 mV. 3. ACh‐evoked responses were blocked by d‐tubocurarine (d‐TC), hexamethonium and mecamylamine, but were insensitive to alpha‐bungarotoxin. These characteristics define a neuronal type of nicotinic receptors. 4. The whole‐cell current induced by ACh showed a strong inward rectification with no outward current being obtained. This phenomenon was observed when the intracellular ion is either sodium or caesium, and even when Ca2+ and Mg2+ were totally removed from the intracellular medium. 5. ACh‐gated channels in intermediate lobe cells were cation selective and were permeable to Na+ and Cs+. In Ca2(+)‐free extracellular solution, single‐channel conductances were much larger (46 pS) than in the presence of 2 mM‐Ca2+ (26 pS). 6. The possibility of an excitatory cholinergic control of intermediate lobe cells is discussed. © 1990 The Physiological Society