title: Oxytocin-evoked repetitive rises of intracellular calcium in single cultured human myometrial cells.
abstract: Repetitive transient increases in intracellular calcium were recorded in single cultured human myometrial cells exposed continuously to oxytocin (1 pM-1 nM). Each transient was preceded by a pacemaker-like gradual increase in baseline [Ca2+]i. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ reversibly stopped the transients although small fluctuations in [Ca2+]i were observed in seven out of eleven cells studied. In a proportion of cells (1-2%) repetitive Ca2+ transients were observed in the absence of exogenous oxytocin. The pattern of activity was similar to that seen in cells exposed to oxytocin. These spontaneous elevations in [Ca2+]i were reversibly inhibited by removing extracellular calcium. These experiments demonstrate for the first time repetitive agonist-induced and spontaneous transient increases in [Ca2+]i in single cultured human myometrial cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Medical School, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Greenwell
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dunlop
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D009215:Myometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010507:Periodicity
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin; D002118:Calcium