Differences in stimulus induced calcium increases in lacrimal gland acinar cells from normal and NZB/NZW F1 female mice.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the changes in intracellular free calcium in response to both cholinergic and adrenergic agonists in cells isolated from exorbital lacrimal glands of NZB/NZW F1 female mice (NZB/W) and normal Swiss Webster mice (SW).


METHODS
We have loaded cells with Fura-2 and measured total intracellular calcium using ratiomicrofluorometric methods. Isolated cells were also patch-clamped using perforated patch.


RESULTS
In all cells, both carbachol (CCh) and phenylephrine (PE) increased intracellular calcium. The calcium increase to both CCh and PE was less in cells from NZB/W animals than in cells from SW animals. In cells from young animals, the baseline calcium levels were the same, but in cells from older (6 months) NZB/W animals, the baseline levels of calcium were 50% higher than those seen in SW animals.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that cells from the NZB/W mice have different calcium dynamics, which could contribute to their compromised fluid secretion.
Walcott
Benjamin
B
Departments of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, New York, Stony Brook 11794-5230, USA. bwalcott@ms.cc.sunysb.edu
Matthews
Gary
G
Brink
Peter
P
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000494:pharmacology; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D016257:Fura-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007765:Lacrimal Apparatus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D010656:Phenylephrine; D002217:Carbachol; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2