title: [Ca2+]i elevations detected by BK channels during Ca2+ influx and muscarine-mediated release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores in rat chromaffin cells.
abstract: Submembrane [Ca2+]i changes were examined in rat chromaffin cells by monitoring the activity of an endogenous Ca(2+)-dependent protein: the large conductance Ca(2+)-and voltage-activated K+ channel (also known as the BK channel). The Ca2+ and voltage dependence of BK current inactivation and conductance were calibrated first by using defined [Ca2+]i salines. This information was used to examine submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations arising out of Ca2+ influx and muscarine-mediated release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. During Ca2+ influx, some BK channels are exposed to [Ca2+]i of at least 60 microM. However, the distribution of this [Ca2+]i elevation is highly nonuniform so that the average [Ca2+]i detected when all BK channels are activated is only approximately 10 microM. Intracellular dialysis with 1 mM or higher EGTA spares only the BK channels activated by the highest [Ca2+]i during influx, whereas dialysis with 1 mM or higher BAPTA blocks activation of all BK channels. Submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations fall rapidly after termination of short (5 msec) Ca2+ influx steps but persist above 1 microM for several hundred milliseconds after termination of long (200 msec) influx steps. In contrast to influx, the submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations produced by release of intracellular Ca2+ by muscarinic actetylcholine receptor (mAChR) activation are much more uniform and reach peak levels of 3-5 microM. Our results suggest that during normal action potential activity only 10-20% of BK channels in each chromaffin cell see sufficient [Ca2+]i to be activated.
authors.affiliation: Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prakriya
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Solaro
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lingle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002838:Chromaffin System / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009116:Muscarine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D015221:Potassium Channels; D009116:Muscarine; D002118:Calcium