title: Characterization of Ca(2+)-release channels in fetal and adult rat hearts.
abstract: The goal of this study was to characterize the Ca(2+)-release channel in whole homogenates of left (LV) and right ventricles (RV) of fetal (22 days in gestation) and adult Sprague-Dawley rat hearts using [3H]ryanodine binding and 45Ca2+ fluxes. Although many features of the Ca(2+)-release channels were similar in fetal and adult hearts, biochemical assays revealed quantitative differences. Similar properties include 1) Ca(2+)-sensitive cooperative ryanodine binding to Ca(2+)-release channel, measured as Ca2+ concentration for half-maximal activation (fetal LV: 0.13 +/- 0.02 microM; adults LV: 0.15 +/- 0.02 microM) and Hill coefficient (fetal LV: 2.5 +/- 0.9; adult LV: 2.7 +/- 0.5), and 2) caffeine-sensitive ryanodine binding, measured as the percent increase in ryanodine binding induced by caffeine (fetal LV: 148.8 +/- 16.9% vs. adult LV: 171.4 +/- 34.9%). The distinguishing property was the lower Ca(2+)-release channel density in the fetal heart (LV: 0.22 +/- 0.03 pmol/mg protein) compared with adult heart (LV: 0.59 +/- 0.04 pmol/mg protein; P < 0.05), as determined by [3H]ryanodine binding. The lower density of Ca(2+)-release channel is supported by the finding that there is very low ryanodine-sensitive oxalate-supported 45Ca2+ uptake in the fetal heart. The tested characteristics of the Ca(2+)-release channel were similar between LV and RV in both fetal and adult rat hearts. Ou results indicate that expression of Ca2+-release channels in sarcoplasmic reticulum increases during postnatal growth in the rat heart. This is consistent with previous physiological reports that Ca2+ available for excitation-contraction coupling in the fetal heart is derived mainly from transsarcolemmal Ca2+ influx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington 06030-1305, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kresch
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D007700:Kinetics; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010070:Oxalates / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012433:Ryanodine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D010070:Oxalates; D012433:Ryanodine; D002110:Caffeine; D002118:Calcium