In the experiments here, the time- and voltage-dependent properties
of the Ca$^2+$-independent, depolarization-activated K$^+$
currents in adult mouse ventricular myocytes were characterized in
detail. In the majority (65 of 72, approximately 90\%) of cells dispersed
from the ventricles, analysis of the decay phases of the outward
currents revealed three distinct K$^+$ current components: a
rapidly inactivating, transient outward K$^+$ current, Ito,f
(mean +/- SEM taudecay = 85 +/- 2 ms); a slowly (mean +/- SEM taudecay
= 1,162 +/- 29 ms) inactivating K$^+$ current, IK,slow; and a
non inactivating, steady state current, Iss. In a small subset (7
of 72, approximately 10\%) of cells, Ito,f was absent and a slowly
inactivating (mean +/- SEM taudecay = 196 +/- 7 ms) transient outward
current, referred to as Ito,s, was identified; the densities and
properties of IK,slow and Iss in Ito,s-expressing cells are indistinguishable
from the corresponding currents in cells with Ito,f. Microdissection
techniques were used to remove tissue pieces from the left ventricular
apex and from the ventricular septum to allow the hypothesis that
there are regional differences in Ito,f and Ito,s expression to be
tested directly. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that all
cells isolated from the apex express Ito,f (n = 35); Ito,s is not
detected in these cells (n = 35). In the septum, by contrast, all
of the cells express Ito,s (n = 28) and in the majority (22 of 28,
80\%) of cells, Ito,f is also present. The density of Ito,f (mean
+/- SEM at +40 mV = 6.8 +/- 0.5 pA/pF, n = 22) in septum cells, however,
is significantly (P < 0.001) lower than Ito,f density in cells from
the apex (mean +/- SEM at +40 mV = 34.6 +/- 2.6 pA/pF, n = 35). In
addition to differences in inactivation kinetics, Ito,f, Ito,s, and
IK,slow display distinct rates of recovery (from inactivation), as
well as differential sensitivities to 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), tetraethylammonium
(TEA), and Heteropoda toxin-3. IK,slow, for example, is blocked selectively
by low (10-50 microM) concentrations of 4-AP and by (>/=25 mM) TEA.
Although both Ito,f and Ito,s are blocked by high (>100 microM) 4-AP
concentrations and are relatively insensitive to TEA, Ito,f is selectively
blocked by nanomolar concentrations of Heteropoda toxin-3, and Ito,s
(as well as IK,slow and Iss) is unaffected. Iss is partially blocked
by high concentrations of 4-AP or TEA. The functional implications
of the distinct properties and expression patterns of Ito,f and Ito,s,
as well as the likely molecular correlates of these (and the IK,slow
and Iss) currents, are discussed.