Adenosine-induced slow ionic currents in the Xenopus oocyte.

Adenosine and its 5'-phosphorylated congeners evoke specific membrane-mediated responses in excitable tissues. Available data suggest that inhibition of the target cell occurs due to hyperpolarization, and in some preparations a compound effect of ATP (excitation and inhibition) has been found. However, the ionic mechanism of the purinergic-mediated response has not been studied by standard intracellular voltage-clamping techniques. Recently, we have discovered purinergic receptors in the Xenopus oocyte, a well defined giant cell amenable to rigorous electrophysiological and biochemical studies. We report here that in these cells, adenosine-induced slow membrane responses consisted of an early depolarizing (D) transient current carried by Cl ions, followed by a steady hyperpolarizing (H) current involving K+ ions. The relative potency sequence for the D current was ATP congruent to ADP greater than AMP congruent to adenosine; this order was reversed for the H current.