title: Electrophysiological properties of rat calcitonin-secreting cells.
abstract: The spontaneous electrical activity of calcitonin-secreting cells (C-cells) appears to play an important role in the coupling of fluctuations in the extracellular Ca2+ to changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and thus for calcitonin secretion. Using the patch clamp technique, we have investigated the spontaneous electrical activity and the underlying ionic currents in C-cells of the rMTC 44-2 cell line. With 1.2 mM external Ca2+, the membrane potential was -46.1 +/- 1.7 mV (n = 58) and about 30% of the cells spontaneously fired action potentials. Rising the external Ca2+ to 1.8 mM caused the cells to depolarize to -42.1 +/- 2.1 mV (n = 56) and spontaneous electrical activity was seen in about 70% of cells. Under voltage clamp conditions, tetrodotoxin-sensitive voltage-dependent Na+ currents, outward-rectifying K+ currents and isradipine-, omega-conotoxin-sensitive as well as isradipine- and omega-conotoxin-insensitive Ca2+ currents were observed. These voltage-dependent currents appear to be the major ionic currents contributing to action potentials in C-cells and to participate in calcitonin secretion.
authors.affiliation: Pharmakologisches Institut der Freien Universität Berlin, F.R.G.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scherübl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hescheler
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017275:Isradipine; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D002116:Calcitonin; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D017275:Isradipine