FIGURE 10.
TREK-1 and TREK-2 subunits heterodimerize in dorsal root ganglion neurons. Membrane patches were excised from DRG neurons. Single channel currents were recorded in symmetrical 140 mm [K+] in the outside-out configuration. The effect of spadin (1 μm) and RR (30 μm) application was determined at a membrane potential of −60 mV. Application of spadin and RR is indicated by the horizontal bars. Channel activity (NPo) was determined from 30 to 60 s of recording before, during, and after application of spadin and RR. Current traces displayed were filtered at 2 kHz. Channels resistant to both spadin and RR (n = 4) were not plotted. A, effect of spadin (1 μm) and RR (30 μm) on channel activity were plotted against each other. Triangles represent RR-sensitive but spadin-resistant channels. TREK-1/TREK-2 heterodimers are marked by the circles. B, representative current recording of a patch containing two RR-sensitive and spadin-resistant channels. C, representative current recording of a patch containing a channel inhibited by RR and spadin, (regarded as a TREK-1/TREK-2 heterodimer).