title: Confocal imaging of calcium microdomains and calcium extrusion in turtle hair cells.
abstract: We have studied spatial Ca2+ distribution in hair cells filled with the low affinity fluorescent indicator Calcium Green 5N using real-time confocal microscopy and whole-cell recording. During depolarizations lasting several hundred milliseconds, Ca2+ fluorescence increased at a number of hotspots around the base of the cell but changed little near the hair bundle. The hotspots required influx of Ca2+ through voltage-dependent channels, and they expanded during the pulse from an initial diameter of < 1 micron. Strong Ca2+ buffers like BAPTA slowed their growth rate. On repolarization, the fluorescence decayed with two time constants: approximately 0.1 s, which may represent Ca2+ diffusion away from the entry sites, and 10 s, probably reflecting Ca2+ extrusion. Extrusion occurs mainly via a CaATPase that can be blocked by vanadate. We suggest the hotspots are microdomains of Ca2+ attaining a concentration of at least 85 microM near assemblies of synaptic release sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fettiplace
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005453:Fluorescence; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000378:metabolism*; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D013997:Time Factors; D014426:Turtles
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium