Dendrotoxin blocks a class of potassium channels that are opened by inhibitory presynaptic modulators in rat cortical synaptosomes and slices.

1. Rat cortical synaptosomes were prelabeled with radioactive acetylcholine and the release induced by veratridine was determined in the absence and presence of the inhibitory presynaptic modulators, 2-chloroadenosine, carbamylcholine, clonidine, and morphine. All four agents inhibited the evoked release of acetylcholine and this inhibition was reversed by dendrotoxin. 2. Using perfused cortical slices and an extracellular K-sensitive electrode, all modulators again increased K efflux that was blocked by dendrotoxin. In contrast, glybenclamide and tetraethylammonium did not block the modulator-induced efflux.