[Pharmacology of glibenclamide-sensitive K+ channels in follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes].

Follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes have endogenous glibenclamide-sensitive K+ channels that can be activated by K+ channel openers. Since the follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes can be easily voltage-clamped, the K+ channels are used as a model of the ATP/glibenclamide-sensitive K+ channels. So far, the effects of calmodulin antagonists, antiarrhythmics, anesthetics, antidepressants, histamine H1-receptor antagonists, imidazolines and several hormones on the K+ channels of the oocytes have been reported. The pharmacological data on the K+ channels obtained from the oocyte-system may contribute to our understanding of the regulatory mechanism and physiological role of the ATP/glibenclamide-sensitive K+ channels.