Regulation of Spontaneous Transient Outward Potassium Currents in Human Coronary Arteries

Abstract

STOCs resulted from BKCa activity and were dependent on extracellular Ca2+ but not significantly on voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. STOCs were dependent on intracellular Na+ and intracellular calcium store refilling state. We suggest that Ca2+ entry into the cell through reverse-mode Na+/Ca2+ exchange determines calcium store refilling, which in turn regulates STOC generation in human coronary VSMCs.