title: Termination of cardiac Ca(2+) sparks: an investigative mathematical model of calcium-induced calcium release.
abstract: A Ca(2+) spark arises when a cluster of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) channels (ryanodine receptors or RyRs) opens to release calcium in a locally regenerative manner. Normally triggered by Ca(2+) influx across the sarcolemmal or transverse tubule membrane neighboring the cluster, the Ca(2+) spark has been shown to be the elementary Ca(2+) signaling event of excitation-contraction coupling in heart muscle. However, the question of how the Ca(2+) spark terminates remains a central, unresolved issue. Here we present a new model, "sticky cluster," of SR Ca(2+) release that simulates Ca(2+) spark behavior and enables robust Ca(2+) spark termination. Two newly documented features of RyR behavior have been incorporated in this otherwise simple model: "coupled gating" and an opening rate that depends on SR lumenal [Ca(2+)]. Using a Monte Carlo method, local Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release from clusters containing between 10 and 100 RyRs is modeled. After release is triggered, Ca(2+) flux from RyRs diffuses into the cytosol and binds to intracellular buffers and the fluorescent Ca(2+) indicator fluo-3 to produce the model Ca(2+) spark. Ca(2+) sparks generated by the sticky cluster model resemble those observed experimentally, and Ca(2+) spark duration and amplitude are largely insensitive to the number of RyRs in a cluster. As expected from heart cell investigation, the spontaneous Ca(2+) spark rate in the model increases with elevated cytosolic or SR lumenal [Ca(2+)]. Furthermore, reduction of RyR coupling leads to prolonged model Ca(2+) sparks just as treatment with FK506 lengthens Ca(2+) sparks in heart cells. This new model of Ca(2+) spark behavior provides a "proof of principle" test of a new hypothesis for Ca(2+) spark termination and reproduces critical features of Ca(2+) sparks observed experimentally.
authors.affiliation: Medical Biotechnology Center, University of Maryland Biotechnology Center, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sobie
authors.forename: Keith W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Dilly
authors.forename: Jader
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: dos Santos Cruz
authors.forename: W Jonathan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Lederer
authors.forename: M Saleet
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jafri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism*; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000378:metabolism; D012519:Sarcoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel; D002118:Calcium; D020123:Sirolimus; D016559:Tacrolimus