title: Spontaneous and experimentally evoked [Ca2+]i-transients in cardiac myocytes measured by means of a fast Fura-2 technique.
abstract: A setup for dual wavelength-excitation fluorescence measurements is introduced which permits a temporal resolution of up to 1 KHz, using the Ca2(+)-sensitive fluorescent dye Fura-2. The system makes use of a novel technical solution for chopping between two excitation wavelengths which does not move any optical components. Two beams, which are alternatively opened or shut by a rotating chopper wheel, are united by a dichroic mirror and are used for low-noise epifluorescence microscopy. The system includes a device for fast changes of extracellular solution that can be used for studying various components of [Ca2+]i-regulation in excitable and non-excitable cells. Sample recordings of spontaneous and experimentally-evoked [Ca2+]i-transients from cardiac myocytes are presented. Cardiac myocytes are a cell species that produces particularly fast [Ca2+]i-transients and therefore, a high temporal resolution is required in order to study physiological and/or pharmacological properties of these transients.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Zellphysiologie, Ruhr-Universität, Bochum, FRG.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bals
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bechem
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paffhausen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016257:Fura-2; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D002110:Caffeine; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2