Zhang Guangping

Na~+-permeable channels of human sperm membrane reassembled into giant liposome

Previous data showed that a Na+-transmembrane flux was accompanied with acrosome reaction of sperm. However, the electrophysiological recording and characterization of Na+ current in human sperm membrane have not been yet reported. In the present investigation, membrane proteins extracted from human sperms were reassembled into liposome bilayer, and then the liposomes were fused by dehydration-rehydration into giant liposomes with the diameter of more than 10 ώm. By patch clamping the giant liposomes two kinds of single channel currents were recorded in a NaCl solution system. Both of them were Na+-carried, TTX-sensitive and strongly rectifying, but with different unit conductance and open probability. Moreover, bursting activity and channel-substates as well as two open time constants were observed in the larger channel.