title: Large currents generate cardiac Ca2+ sparks.
abstract: Previous models of cardiac Ca2+ sparks have assumed that Ca2+ currents through the Ca2+ release units (CRUs) were approximately 1-2 pA, producing sparks with peak fluorescence ratio (F/F(0)) of approximately 2.0 and a full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of approximately 1 microm. Here, we present actual Ca2+ sparks with peak F/F(0) of >6 and a FWHM of approximately 2 microm, and a mathematical model of such sparks, the main feature of which is a much larger underlying Ca2+ current. Assuming infinite reaction rates and no endogenous buffers, we obtain a lower bound of approximately 11 pA needed to generate a Ca2+ spark with FWHM of 2 microm. Under realistic conditions, the CRU current must be approximately 20 pA to generate a 2- microm Ca2+)spark. For currents > or =5 pA, the computed spark amplitudes (F/F(0)) are large (approximately 6-12 depending on buffer model). We considered several factors that might produce sparks with FWHM approximately 2 microm without using large currents. Possible protein-dye interactions increased the FWHM slightly. Hypothetical Ca2+ "quarks" had little effect, as did blurring of sparks by the confocal microscope. A clusters of CRUs, each producing 10 pA simultaneously, can produce sparks with FWHM approximately 2 microm. We conclude that cardiac Ca2+ sparks are significantly larger in peak amplitude than previously thought, that such large Ca2+ sparks are consistent with the measured FWHM of approximately 2 microm, and that the underlying Ca2+ current is in the range of 10-20 pA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. lizu@umaryland.edu
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Izu
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mauban
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Balke
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Wier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008433:Mathematics; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel