Cytosolic Ca2+ in melanotrophs: pharmacological insights into regulatory influences of electrical activity and ion channels.
The concentration of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was measured in melanotrophs, the characteristic endocrine cells of the pars intermedia of the rat pituitary gland, using the fluorescent Ca indicator fura-2. The resting [Ca2+]i was 211 +/- 8 nM and was little affected by tetrodotoxin (TTX; 5 or 10 microM), which inhibits the spontaneous action potentials that occur in these cells. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ (by chelation with EGTA) or addition of the Ca channel blocker nimodipine (1 microM) produced a rapid fall in [Ca2+]i, which occurred whether TTX was present or not. Excess K+ (60 mM), veratridine (10 or 100 microM) and BAY K 8644 (1 microM) each caused a rapid rise in [Ca2+]i, which was blocked or truncated by EGTA or nimodipine. TTX blocked or truncated the increases in [Ca2+]i induced by veratridine, but not those induced by either excess K+ or BAY K 8644. The results show that manipulations that increase or decrease hormone output increase or decrease [Ca2+]i. Furthermore, the resting [Ca2+]i appears to depend importantly on Ca influx, since it is rapidly and markedly reduced by removal of extracellular Ca2+ or addition of a Ca channel blocker.
Nemeth
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EF
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio 44105.
Taraskevich
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PS
Douglas
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WW
D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014701:Veratridine / Q000494:pharmacology
D007473:Ion Channels; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D009553:Nimodipine; D014701:Veratridine; D001498:3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium