title: Veratridine-induced oscillations of cytosolic calcium and membrane potential in bovine chromaffin cells.
abstract: 1. Veratridine (VTD) induced large oscillations of the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and the membrane potential (Vm) in otherwise silent bovine chromaffin cells loaded with fura-2. 2. Depletion of the intracellular Ca2+ stores by thapsigargin or ryanodine did not affect these oscillations. Caffeine had a complex effect, decreasing them in cells with high activity but increasing them in cells with low activity. 3. The [Ca2+]i oscillations required extracellular Ca2+ and Na+ and were blocked by Ni2+ or tetrodotoxin. They were antagonized by high external concentrations of Mg2+ and/or Ca2+. 4. The oscillations of Vm had three phases: (i) slow depolarization (20 mV in 10-40 s); (ii) further fast depolarization (30 mV in 1 s); and (iii) rapid (5 s) repolarization. [Ca2+]i decreased during (i), increased quickly during (ii) with a 1 s delay with regard to the peak depolarization, and decreased during (iii). 5. Slight depolarizations increased the frequency of the oscillations whereas large depolarizations decreased it. 6. The Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channel blocker apamin increased the duration and decreased the frequency of the oscillations. 7. We propose the following mechanism for the oscillations: (i) the membrane depolarizes slowly by a decrease of potassium conductance (gK), perhaps due to a gradual decrease of [Ca2+]i; (ii) the threshold for activation of Na+ channels (decreased by VTD) is reached, producing further depolarization and recruiting Ca2+ channels, and inactivation of both Ca2+ and VTD-poisoned Na+ channels is slow; and (iii) gK increases, aided by activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ channels by the increased [Ca2+]i, and the membrane repolarizes. The contribution of the Na+ channels seems essential for the generation of the oscillations. 8. Bovine chromaffin cells have the machinery required for [Ca2+]i oscillations even though the more physiological stimulus tested here (high K+, field electrical stimulation, nicotinic or muscarinic agonists) produced mainly non-oscillatory responses.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Artalejo
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Sancho
mesh_terms: D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001030:Apamin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D003600:Cytosol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D016257:Fura-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D019284:Thapsigargin; D014701:Veratridine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013729:Terpenes; D001030:Apamin; D002110:Caffeine; D019284:Thapsigargin; D014701:Veratridine; D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2