Applying intracellular glass microelectrodes to the smooth muscle obtained from the guinea pig pelvicalyceal border, we have succeeded in recording periodic spontaneous action potentials, the so-called slow waves, which are characteristic of a pacemaker. This experiment proved that the pacemaker exists at the pelvicalyceal border. The slow waves originate from the pelvicalyceal border, close to the papilla renalis; they show a biphasic pattern and have the characteristics of a spontaneously excitable cell. The resting potential is 42.3 ± 1.1 mV, the spontaneous depolarizing potential is 12.1 ± 0.7 mV, and the depolarizing period is 12/min. The rate of rise of the potential is 22.9 ± 2.1 mV/s in the first slow depolarization phase, and 50.9 ± 9.5 mV/s in the following rapid depolarization phase. The rate of decline of the potential is 47.3 ± 5.4 mV/s in the repolarization phase.

Keywords:
Intracellular glass microelectrode, Pelvicalyceal border, Pacemaker, Guinea pig
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© 1992 S. Karger AG, Basel
1992
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