Stretch-activated whole cell currents in adult rat cardiac myocytes

Mechanoelectric transduction can initiate cardiac arrhythmias. To examine the origins of this effect at the cellular level, we made whole cell voltage-clamp recordings from acutely isolated rat ventricular myocytes under controlled strain. Longitudinal stretch elicited noninactivating inward cationic currents that increased the action potential duration. These stretch-activated currents could be blocked by 100 microM Gd(3+) but not by octanol. The current-voltage relationship was nearly linear, with a reversal potential of approximately -6 mV in normal Tyrode solution. Current density varied with sarcomere length (SL) according to I (pA/pF) = 8.3 - 5.0 SL (microm). Repeated attempts to record single channel currents from stretch-activated ion channels failed, in accord with the absence of such data from the literature. The inability to record single channel currents may be a result of channels being located on internal membranes such as the T tubules or, possibly, inactivation of the channels by the mechanics of patch formation.