title: Anti-phase calcium oscillations in astrocytes via inositol (1, 4, 5)-trisphosphate regeneration.
abstract: Observations in cultured mouse astrocytes suggest anti-phase synchronization of cytosolic calcium concentrations in nearest neighbor cells that are coupled through gap junctions. A mathematical model is used to investigate physiologic conditions under which diffusion of the second messenger inositol (1, 4, 5)-trisphosphate (IP(3)) through gap junctions can facilitate synchronized anti-phase Ca(2+) oscillations. Our model predicts anti-phase oscillations in both cytosolic calcium and IP(3) concentrations if (a) the gap junction permeability is within a window of values and (b) IP(3) is regenerated in the astrocytes via, e.g. phospholipase C(delta). This result sheds new light on the current dispute on the mechanism of intercellular calcium signaling. It provides indirect evidence for a partially regenerative mechanism as the model excludes anti-phase synchrony in the absence of IP(3) regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy and Quantitive Biology Institute, Ohio University, Athens, 45701, USA. ghanimul@helios.phy.ohiou.edu
authors.forename: Ghanim
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cornell-Bell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003600:Cytosol / Q000378:metabolism; D017629:Gap Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010539:Permeability; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D018698:Glutamic Acid; D015544:Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate; D002118:Calcium