title: Prostanoid receptor-mediated calcium signaling in cultured rat astrocytes.
abstract: We investigated prostanoid-induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fura-2-loaded cultured astrocytes. The thromboxane (TX) A2 analog STA2 (9,11-epithio-11,12-methano-TXA2) and/or prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha (each used at 1 microM) stimulated intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in single cultured rat type 1 astrocytes. Three response patterns were observed: only STA2-sensitive, only PGF2 alpha-sensitive, and both prostanoids-sensitive cells. The Ca2+ response was prostanoid-dose-dependent (0.1 - 1 microM) and showed a rapid spike-like Ca2+ rise that peaked within 30 sec after the stimulation by the ligand. These observations suggest that type 1 astrocytes are heterogeneous with respect to the expression of receptors for TXA2 and PGF2 alpha, which are linked to Ca2+ mobilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitanaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takuma
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016257:Fura-2; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin / Q000819:agonists* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013928:Thromboxane A2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011982:Receptors, Prostaglandin; D013928:Thromboxane A2; C037866:STA 2; D015237:Dinoprost; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2