Na+-activated K+ channels express a large delayed outward current in neurons during normal physiology

Abstract

One of the largest components of the delayed outward current active during normal physiology in many mammalian neurons such as medium spiny neurons of the striatum and tufted–mitral cells of the olfactory bulb, has gone unnoticed and is due to a Na+-activated-K+-current. Previous studies of K+ currents in mammalian neurons may have overlooked this large outward component because the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin (TTX) is typically used in such studies; we find that TTX also eliminates this delayed outward component as a secondary consequence. Unexpectedly we found that the activity of a persistent inward sodium current (persistent INa) is highly effective in activating this large Na+-dependent (TTX-sensitive) delayed outward current. Using siRNA techniques we identified SLO2.2 (Slack) channels as carriers of this delayed outward current. These findings have far reaching implications for many aspects of cellular and systems neuroscience, as well as clinical neurology and pharmacology.