title: Region-specific downregulation of free intracellular calcium in the aged rat brain.
abstract: Age-related changes in resting levels of the free intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) as well as alterations of the rise in [Ca2+]i following depolarization have been investigated in acutely isolated brain cells of various regions of the rat brain. Characterization of the Ca2+ responses following KCl depolarization in the hippocampus, cortex, striatum, and cerebellum of young rats revealed significant regional differences in the basal [Ca2+]i level as well as in the KCl-induced rise in [Ca2+]i. However, there was no correlation between both parameters. Resting [Ca2+]i as well as Ca2+ responses after depolarization were lower in the hippocampus and cortex of the aged animals, but not in the striatum or cerebellum. It is concluded that the Ca2+ homeostasis in the first two regions is specially susceptible to the aging process, resulting in a downregulation of [Ca2+]i, probably as a consequence of an enhanced sensitivity of mechanisms regulating transmembraneous Ca2+ fluxes. The cellular Ca2+ homeostasis was altered in a comparable way in rat spleenocytes. The rise in [Ca2+]i in the aged animals following stimulation of lymphocytes with the mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was significantly reduced in the plateau phase, which is maintained by Ca2+ influx mechanisms. The data indicate that age-related disturbances of the cellular Ca2+ homeostasis may be present in different cell types and seem to affect mainly transmembraneous Ca2+ flux much more than intracellular Ca2+ release.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Velbinger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium