title: Exocytosis elicited by action potentials and voltage-clamp calcium currents in individual mouse pancreatic B-cells.
abstract: 1. Measurements of membrane capacitance, as an indicator of exocytosis, and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were used to determine the Ca2+ dependence of secretion in single pancreatic B-cells. 2. Exocytosis was dependent on a rise in [Ca2+]i and could be evoked by activation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ currents. The threshold for depolarization-induced release was 0.5 microM [Ca2+]i. Once the [Ca2+]i threshold was exceeded, exocytosis was rapidly (< 50 ms) initiated. When individual pulses were applied, exocytosis stopped immediately upon repolarization and the Ca2+ channels closed, although [Ca2+]i remained elevated for several seconds. 3. During repetitive stimulation (1 Hz), when [Ca2+]i attained micromolar levels, exocytosis also took place during the interpulse intervals albeit at a slower rate than during the depolarizations. 4. Exocytosis could be initiated by simulated action potentials. Whereas a single action potential only produced a small capacitance increase, and in some cells even failed to stimulate release, larger and more consistent responses were obtained with > or = four action potentials. 5. Comparison of the rates of exocytosis measured in response to depolarization, mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores or infusion of Ca2+ through the patch pipette suggests that [Ca2+]i at the secretory sites attains a concentration of several micromolar. This is much higher than the average [Ca2+]i detected by microfluorimetry suggesting the existence of steep spatial gradients of [Ca2+]i within the B-cell. 6. Inclusion of inhibitors of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II in the intracellular solution reduced the depolarization-induced exocytotic responses suggesting this enzyme may be involved in the coupling between elevation of [Ca2+]i to stimulation of the secretory machinery. 7. The size of the unitary exocytotic event was 2 fF, corresponding to a secretory granule diameter of 250 nm. 8. Over short periods, exocytosis may be extremely fast (1 pF/s or 500 granules/s), which is much higher than the rate of endocytosis (18 fF/s or 9 granules/s). Since the latter is in better agreement with the maximum rate of insulin secretion from islets (approximately 2 granules/s), we suggest that membrane retrieval may set an upper limit on the rate of exocytosis during extended periods of secretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ammälä
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eliasson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bokvist
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ashcroft
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rorsman
mesh_terms: D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004705:Endocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007424:Intracellular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D007328:Insulin; D007546:Isoquinolines; D010879:Piperazines; C063302:KN 62; D019307:1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine; D054732:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D002118:Calcium