Effects of K+ and K+-induced polarization on (dV/dt)max, threshold potential, and membrane input resistance in guinea pig and cat ventricular myocardium.

We studied the non-membrane potential-dependent effect of K+ on (dV/dt)max and threshold potential in guinea pig and cat ventricular myocardium. Membrane potential (MP) was changed uniformly in segments (length less than or equal to 1.0 mm) of papillary muscles by applying extracellular polarizing current pulses across a single sucrose gap. Control [K+]o was 5.4 mM and test [K+]o values were 2.0, 10.0, 11.5, 13.0, 16.2, 20, 22, and 24.0 mM. Each muscle was studied under four conditions: (1) control [K+]o and unaltered (control level) resting MP (Em); (2) one of the test [K+]o values and the unaltered (test level) Em; (3) the same test [K+]o and Em held at the control level; (4) control [K+]o and Em held at the test level. At all [K+]o greater than or equal to 11.5 mM, (dV/dt)max showed a decrease significantly (P less than 0.01) greater than the corresponding MP-dependent decrease in both guinea pig and cat myocardium. This non-MP-dependent decrease averaged 7.5% at 11.5 mM, 26.5% at 13.0 mM, 37.2% at 16.2 mM, and 22.7% at 20.0 mM. At [K+]o greater than or equal to 20.0 mM, (dV/dt)max was predominantly slow-channel-dependent; it was increased by hyperpolarization to -110 mV at [K+]o = 20 and 22 mM but not at [K+]o = 24mM. Threshold potential became progressively less negative with increasing [K+]o, but this effect was dependent only on MP. The membrane input resistance (rm) was determined by two opposing factors: at a given [K+]o, rm increased with depolarization; and at a given MP, rm decreased with increasing [K+]o. Our study shows that non-MP-dependent depression of (dV/dt)max in the ventricular myocardium occurs at [K+]o concentrations that may be encountered in vivo.