Recordings were made from magnocellular neuroendocrine cells dissociated from the supraoptic nucleus of the adult guinea pig to determine the role of voltage gated K(+) channels in controlling the duration of action potentials and in mediating frequency-dependent action potential broadening exhibited by these neurons. The K(+) channel blockers charybdotoxin (ChTx), tetraethylammonium (TEA), and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) increased the duration of individual action potentials indicating that multiple types of K(+) channel are important in controlling action potential duration. The effect of these K(+) channel blockers was almost completely reversed by simultaneous blockade of voltage gated Ca(2+) channels with Cd(2+). Frequency-dependent action potential broadening was exhibited by these neurons during trains of action potentials elicited by membrane depolarizing current pulses presented at 10 Hz but not at 1 Hz. 4-AP but not ChTx or TEA inhibited frequency-dependent action potential broadening indicating that frequency-dependent action potential broadening is dependent on increasing steady-state inactivation of A-type K(+) channels (which are blocked by 4-AP). A model of differential contributions of voltage gated K(+) channels and voltage gated Ca(2+) channels to frequency-dependent action potential broadening, in which an increase of Ca(2+) current during each successive action potential is permitted as a result of the increasing steady-state inactivation of A-type K(+) channels, is presented.