title: Effect of extracellular [Ca(2+)] on Ca(2+) release from sarcoplasmic reticulum in rat ventricular myocytes.
abstract: The effect of external [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](o)) on Ca(2+) release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was examined with rested-state twitches in rat ventricular myocytes. The magnitude of transient rise of intracellular [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) relative to the resting one, F/F(o), as measured with fluo-3, was 1.75+/-0.07 (mean+/-SEM, n=9) and 1.86+/-0.13 (n=9) at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o), respectively; the difference was insignificant. The time from onset to peak and the rate of rise of the [Ca(2+)](i) transient were 0.107+/-0.017 s (n=9) and 18.8+/-3.38 F/F(o)/s, respectively, at 0.3 mM [Ca(2+)](o), they were 0.064+/-0.005 s (n=9) and 31.1+/-0.03 F/F(o)/s, respectively, at 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o). The difference in the corresponding values at the two [Ca(2+)](o) was significant (t-test, p<0.05). The half decay time of the [Ca(2+)](i) transient was 0.217+/-0.016 s (n=8) at 0.3 mM [Ca(2+)](o) and was similar to the value of 0.230+/-0.022 s (n=8) at 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o), indicating that the rate of decrease of [Ca(2+)](i) is independent of the [Ca(2+)](o). The duration of action potential was similar at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o) as examined with papillary muscle. The results suggest that a lowering of [Ca(2+)](o), i.e., reducing the Ca(2+) influx, slows the rate of Ca(2+) release from the SR fully loaded with Ca(2+) with little effect on the total amount of the Ca(2+) release. An instantaneous relationship between the [Ca(2+)](i) and the myocyte shortening at 0.3 and 1.8 mM [Ca(2+)](o) suggested that the time course of unloaded contraction is related not only to the magnitude, but also to the rate of rise of [Ca(2+)](i).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, 216-8511 Japan. t2tame@marianna-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tameyasu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000502:physiology*; D016276:Ventricular Function
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium