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. 1990 Jun;10(2):217–226. doi: 10.1007/BF00734575

Veratridine-induced oscillations in membrane potential of cultured rat skeletal muscle: Role of the Na-K pump

Chaya Brodie 1,✉, S R Sampson 1
PMCID: PMC11567320  PMID: 2163752

Abstract

  1. The acute effects of veratridine on membrane potential (E m) and Na-K pump activity in cultured skeletal muscle were examined.

  2. At a concentration of 10−4 M, veratridine caused depolarization ofE m and a decrease in Na-K pump activity. At concentrations of 10−5 and 10−6 M, veratridine caused oscillations ofE m and an increase in Na-K pump activity compared to untreated, control cells. The oscillations consisted of depolarization to about -40 mV followed by hyperpolarization to about -90 mV; the level of hyperpolarization was higher at 37 than at 23°C.

  3. Veratridine-induced oscillations could be prevented by pretreatment with tetrodotoxin (10−6 M) and blocked or prevented by ouabain, which depolarizesE m of cultured myotubes. In contrast, depolarization ofE m to -60 mV by excess K+ did not alter the amplitude or frequency of the oscillations.

  4. The results demonstrate that veratridine-induced increase in Na influx both depolarizes cultured myotubes and increases the activity of the Na-K pump, which repolarizesE m to levels higher than control. This sequence accounts for veratridine-induced oscillations inE m. High concentrations of veratridine cause only depolarization ofE m and inhibition of Na-K pump activity.

Key words: membrane potential, Na-K pump, electrogenic Na-K pump, veratridine, Rb uptake

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