title: Calcium signaling in cold cells studied in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons.
abstract: Thermosensitive cold cells were identified in cultured dorsal root ganglion neurons from newborn rats. The neurons were loaded with a calcium indicator, Fura-PE3, and the change in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) of the neurons was measured with microfluorimetry. Thirteen per cent of the cells responded to the cold stimulation. The diameter of the responder cells was 16.3+/-3.2 microm (mean+/-S.D., n = 25). The lowering of the temperature from 35 degrees C to 20 degrees C increased [Ca2+]i from 59.6+/-10.6 nM to 203.4+/-14.8 nM (n = 25). The [Ca2+]i response was dependent on the intensity of the cold stimulation. The depletion of extracellular Ca2+ diminished the Ca2+ elevation. However, a Na(+)-free condition did not influence the response. We concluded that the cold stimulation opens Ca2(+)-permeable channels in putative cold cells from dorsal root ganglion neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Soka University, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gotoh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012964:Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D002118:Calcium