title: Modulation of free Ca oscillations in single hepatocytes by changes in extracellular K+, Na+ and Ca2+.
abstract: Single rat hepatocytes, microinjected with the calcium-sensitive photoprotein aequorin, when stimulated with either phenylephrine or arg8-vasopressin exhibit agonist-specific oscillations in cytosolic free calcium levels (free Ca). In the majority of the cells examined adding excess potassium chloride, sodium chloride or choline chloride abolished transient behaviour. However, in cells that continued to oscillate the transient parameters were subtly modified by these treatments. In experiments using phenylephrine as the agonist, adding excess potassium chloride to the superfusate significantly reduced transient length, increased the rate of transient rise and reduced the smoothed peak free Ca level without significantly altering the intertransient resting free Ca level or the falling time constant. The possible mechanisms by which these alterations may occur are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Cuthbertson
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Cobbold
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D010656:Phenylephrine; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium