title: Oscillatory calcium responses mediated by P2Y2 purinergic receptors in terminal Schwann cells of longitudinal lanceolate endings isolated from rat vibrissae.
abstract: The longitudinal lanceolate endings are mechanoreceptors that detect hair movement. We have previously shown that terminal Schwann cells, glial elements of the sensory devices, respond to an application of the sensory modulator adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) by an elevation in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), suggesting a regulatory role for these cells in the cutaneous sensation. To define the spatiotemporal dynamics of the cell signaling and the pharmacological properties of the receptors responsible, arrays of the lanceolates were enzymatically isolated from the rat vibrissal follicle and subjected to [Ca2+]i image recording by time-lapse confocal microscopy during bath application of ATP analogues. The terminal Schwann cells formed extensive networks, connecting with one another by their lamellar processes associated with lanceolate axon endings. Stimulation of the cells with 100 microM ATP evoked [Ca2+]i waves propagating along the cell processes. In each Schwann lamella, the initial wave evoked by a given trial of the stimulant arose from a specific locus within the cell process, whereas subsequent waves were sometimes observed to travel from its proximal portion. This implies a subcellular compartmentalization that may enable each Schwann lamella to modulate the activity of its accompanying lanceolate terminal through its own Ca2+ signal as well as to regulate neighboring lanceolates through interlamellar signal propagation. Pharmacological experiments have shown that the Schwann cell responses are mediated by the P2Y2 receptor, which has recently been reported to couple to multiple effector molecules in addition to stimulating the phosphoinositide signaling pathway involved in various glia-neuron interactions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Histology and Cytology, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan. hiromiva@med.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi-Iwanaga
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Habara
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000502:physiology*; D058473:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013498:Suramin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014738:Vibrissae / Q000166:cytology*; D014966:Xanthenes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000814:Aniline Compounds; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C409648:Fluo 4; C546387:P2ry2 protein, rat; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D058473:Receptors, Purinergic P2Y2; D014227:Triazines; D014966:Xanthenes; D014530:Uridine Diphosphate; C012842:Cibacron Blue F 3GA; D013498:Suramin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D002118:Calcium; D014544:Uridine Triphosphate