A large conductance, voltage- and calcium-activated K+ channel in the basolateral membrane of rat enterocytes.

The patch-clamp technique was employed to record single channel currents in patches of basolateral membrane from enterocytes isolated from rat small intestine. We demonstrate the presence of a large conductance (250 pS), voltage- and calcium-activated, the maxi, K+ channel in this membrane. Currents in this K+ channel were blocked by the application of barium (5 mM) to the extracellular membrane face.