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. 2014 Jul 18;592(Pt 18):4025–4038. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2014.273177

Figure 4. Caveolin is not required but shifts cholesterol sensitivity of Kir2 channels in HEK293 cells.

Figure 4

Inset: Cellular cholesterol levels in HEK293 cells co-expressing Kir2.1 with GFP or Cav-1-YFP in control (Ct), MβCD (Dpl) and MβCD/cholesterol (Cl) treated conditions. The numbers were normalized using Kir2.1/GFP in control cells as a reference (n = 3, *P < 0.05). A, representative current traces recorded from HEK293 cells expressing Kir2.1 with GFP as a marker for control cells or cells exposed to 5 mm MβCD or MβCD/cholesterol for 1 h to deplete the cells of cholesterol or to enrich cells with cholesterol, respectively. B, average peak current densities at −97 mV for control, MβCD and MβCD/cholesterol treated HEK293 cells expressing Kir2.1 (n = 14–36, *P < 0.05). C, representative current traces for HEK293 cells co-expressing Kir2.1 and Cav-1-YFP in control, MβCD and MβCD/cholesterol treatment. D, average peak current densities at −97 mV for the same cells (n = 14–44, *P < 0.05). Ct, control; Cl, MβCD/cholesterol; Dpl, MβCD; MβCD, methyl-β-cyclodextrin.