Gating of delayed rectification in acutely isolated canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes. Evidence for a single voltage-gated conductance.

Studies of time-dependent, plateau outward current (delayed rectification) in the heart are complicated by the accumulation and depletion of K+ ions in intercellular clefts. To minimize this problem, we studied delayed rectification in acutely isolated (enzymic solution, gentle agitation) canine cardiac Purkinje myocytes using the single microelectrode voltage-clamp technique. We found a sigmoidal voltage-dependence for activation of outward plateau current, with maximal activation occurring at potentials near -10 mV. The activation and deactivation of plateau outward current was adequately described as the sum of a fast and slow exponential component. A comparison of the time course of activation of plateau outward current and the "envelope" of tail currents suggests that a single voltage-gated conductance with one open and two closed states can account for delayed rectification in Purkinje myocytes. These results differ from those previously obtained with intact sheep Purkinje fibers in which two time-dependent conductances were postulated to account for delayed rectification (Noble, D., and R. W. Tsien, 1969, J. Physiol. (Lond.), 200:205-231).