title: Calcium response of single adrenal glomerulosa cells to external potassium.
abstract: The cytosolic calcium (Cai2+) response to external potassium (K+) was examined in single rat zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells by monitoring fura-2-fluorescence with microspectrofluorometry and digital imaging microscopy. The majority (68%) of morphologically identified ZG cells demonstrated an increase in Cai2+ during K+ stimulation. Cai2+ rose monotonically from a mean basal level of 232 +/- 15 to 285 +/- 37 nM at 5 mM and 680 +/- 60 nM at 10 mM K+ for responsive ZG cells. The Cai2+ response was largely (greater than 90%) inhibited by nominal zero calcium or 1 mM cadmium and substantially modified in the presence of 10(-5) M nifedipine. The response kinetics were characterized by a rising phase that depended on the size of the Cai2+ change, with larger increases associated with a faster onset. Cai2+ approached a plateau level that was sustained for the duration of K+ stimulation from 1 to 5 min. Cai2+ appeared to be more uniformly distributed across the cell under resting conditions than during stimulation. Assessment of the Cai2+ response in single ZG cells documents 1) a majority, but not all, of ZG cells respond to K+, 2) simple kinetics consisting of a rapid onset and sustained plateau Cai2+ level, 3) a dose-dependent Cai2+ increase in the physiological range of K+, and 4) inhibition by calcium channel blockers and sensitivity to small increases in K+ consistent with activation of low-threshold calcium channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Boston University School of Medicine 02118.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Tillotson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D007700:Kinetics; D051381:Rats; D012016:Reference Values; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015384:Zona Glomerulosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium