title: Effects of cytosolic Ca2+ on the Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in saponin-permeabilized rat ventricular trabeculae.
abstract: Rat ventricular trabeculae were mounted for isometric tension recording, and then permeabilized with saponin. The Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) within the permeabilized preparation (cytosolic [Ca2+]) was monitored continuously using Indo-1 and the integrals of Ca2+ transients resulting from brief caffeine application used as an index of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ content. The relationship between SR Ca2+ content and cytosolic [Ca2+] was studied within the reported physiological range (i.e. 50-250 nmol . l-1 Ca2+). Increasing cytosolic [Ca2+] from 50 nmol . l-1 to 250 nmol . l-1 increased the steady-state SR Ca2+ content about threefold. However, increasing [Ca2+] above 250 nmol . l-1 typically resulted in spontaneous SR Ca2+ release, with no further increase in SR Ca2+ content. The SR Ca2+ content increased only slowly when cytosolic [Ca2+] was increased; it was unchanged 20 s after a rapid increase in cytosolic [Ca2+], but increased progressively to a new steady-state level during the following 1-2 min. In a parallel series of experiments using intact papillary muscles, increasing extracellular [Ca2+] (from 0.5 to 5 mmol . l-1) significantly increased twitch tension within 20 s of the solution change. These results support previous suggestions that the SR Ca2+ content may increase when diastolic cytosolic [Ca2+] rises during inotropic interventions such as increased stimulus rate or extracellular [Ca2+]. However, the rate at which SR Ca2+ responds to changes in cytoplasmic [Ca2+] within the diastolic range does not appear rapid enough to explain the early potentiation of twitch tension in intact preparations after an increase in extracellular [Ca2+].
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Leeds, LS2 9NQ, UK.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Orchard
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Steele
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D003600:Cytosol / Q000502:physiology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D012503:Saponins; D002110:Caffeine; D002118:Calcium