title: Modulation of local Ca2+ release sites by rapid fluid puffing in rat atrial myocytes.
abstract: Atrial myocytes that lack t-tubules appear to have two functionally separate sarcoplasmic Ca2+ stores: a peripheral store associated with plasmalemmal L-type calcium channels and a central store with no apparent proximity to L-type calcium channels. Here we describe a set of calcium sparks and waves that are triggered by puffing of pressurized (200-400 mmH2O) bathing solutions onto resting isolated rat atrial myocytes. Puffing of pressurized (200 mmH2O) solutions, identical to those bathing the myocytes from distances of approximately 150 microm onto the surface of a single myocyte triggered or enhanced spontaneously occurring peripheral sparks by five- to six-fold and central Ca2+ sparks by two- to three-fold, without altering the unitary spark properties. Exposure to higher pressure flows (400 mmH2O) often triggered longitudinally spreading Ca2+ waves. These results suggest that pressurized flows may directly modulate Ca2+ signaling of atrial myocytes by activating the intracellular Ca2+ release sites.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-Dong, Daejeon 305-764, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Risius
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016275:Atrial Function; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002462:Cell Membrane; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D032342:Muscle Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium