Adaptation of sarcolemmal action potential mechanisms to chronic depolarization in denervated skeletal muscle.

Action potential properties were studied in rat extensor digitorum longus fibers, at different times after locally setting the membrane to a holding potential of -90 mV. Whereas in normal muscles holding potential duration had little effect on the action potential, the holding potential duration markedly influenced membrane excitability in the fibers previously depolarized by increasing the K+ concentration of the bathing medium. In this case, when the holding potential was prolonged from 20 to 180 s, action potential overshoot, maximum rate of rise, and maximum rate of fall increased 1.8-, 3.1-, and 1.8-fold, respectively. In the denervated muscle, overshoot and maximum rate of fall were dependent on the duration of holding potential application until denervation day 6, whereas maximum rate of rise was affected throughout the duration of this study (15 days of denervation). However, 180-s application of -90 mV holding potential elicited about a 2-fold increase of maximum rate of rise in the earlier denervation stages, and only a 1.5-fold increase at later times. These observations suggest that ultra-slow processes of Na+ conductance inactivation were less effective after 6 days of denervation. Correspondingly, extensor digitorum longus fibers acquired the ability to generate action potentials at a depolarized holding potential. The partial removal of ultra-slow Na+ inactivation after muscle denervation could substantially contribute to a general process of membrane adaptation, resulting in the capacity of voltage-dependent ion channels to operate in a condition of chronic depolarization.