The technique of simultaneous recording calcium transients and spontaneous transient outward currents in arterial smooth muscle cells.
Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and whole-cell perforated patch-clamp techniques were combined to study simultaneously the changes of intracellular signal molecules and membrane currents. Intracellular calcium transients and spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) were recorded simultaneously in freshly isolated mouse cerebral artery smooth muscle cells. The cells loaded with fluo-4/AM were scanned with the confocal line-scan mode. Triggering voltage pulses derived from an EPC-10 patch clamp amplifier triggered the confocal line scan. The results showed that STOCs and intracellular calcium transients could be simultaneously recorded in the same cell. This technique will be useful in studies of diseases caused by impairments of intracellular Ca(2+) signaling and related ionic channel activities, or vice versa.
Li
Peng-Yun
PY
Institute of Cardiovasology, Luzhou Medical College, Luzhou, China.
Zeng
Xiao-Rong
XR
Lei
Ming
M
Liu
Zhi-Fei
ZF
Yang
Yan
Y
D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques