Intracellular Mg2+ surge follows Ca2+ increase during depolarization in cultured neurons.
The intracellular magnesium and calcium concentrations in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons were measured using a fluorescent Mg2+ indicator, Mag-Fura-2 and a Ca2+ indicator, Fura-2, respectively. The magnesium concentration in the cytoplasm was higher than that in the nuclei at rest; 0.68+/-0.10 mM (mean+/-S.E.M., n=7) in the cytoplasm and 0.11+/-0.05 mM in the nucleus. When depolarized by a 60 mM KCl solution, the magnesium concentration increased remarkably in the cytoplasm; 1.52+/-0.26 mM (n=7) in the cytoplasm and 0.25+/-0. 12 mM in the nucleus. This is in contrast to a Ca2+ increase due to depolarization in which the increase was remarkable also in the nucleus. The Mg2+ response displayed a rapid spontaneous recovery even in the presence of the high K+ solution. The Ca2+ response, on the other hand, accompanied a slow recovery 'plateau'. Simultaneous measurements of Mg2+ and Ca2+ by a double-labeling experiment revealed that the Ca2+ concentration started to rise 0.46+/-0.05 s (n=32) earlier, and it reached its peak 1.38+/-0.12 s (n=32) earlier than Mg2+. These results support the scheme of 'calcium induced magnesium release', that the depolarization-induced elevation of the Ca2+ concentration causes an increase in the Mg2+ concentration in the cytoplasm.
D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016257:Fura-2 / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007093:Imidazoles; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley