title: Spontaneous electrical activity of cultured interstitial cells of cajal from mouse urinary bladder.
abstract: Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) from the urinary bladder regulate detrusor smooth muscle activities. We cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder of mice and performed patch clamp and intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)]i) imaging to investigate whether cultured ICCs can be a valuable tool for cellular functional studies. The cultured ICCs displayed two types of spontaneous electrical activities which are similar to those recorded in intact bladder tissues. Spontaneous electrical activities of cultured ICCs were nifedipine-sensitive. Carbachol and ATP, both excitatory neurotransmitters in the urinary bladder, depolarized the membrane and increased the frequency of spike potentials. Carbachol increased [Ca(2+)]i oscillations and basal Ca(2+) levels, which were blocked by atropine. These results suggest that cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder retain rhythmic phenotypes similar to the spontaneous electrical activities recorded from the intact urinary bladder. Therefore, we suggest that cultured ICCs from the urinary bladder may be useful for cellular and molecular studies of ICCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. ; Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Ouck
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. ; Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Seong
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Sujeong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. ; Center for Creative Biomedical Scientists at Chonnam National Univertisity, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Mei-Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Kyu
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Korea.
authors.forename: Han-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yeoul
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. ; Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 501-757, Korea. ; Center for Creative Biomedical Scientists at Chonnam National Univertisity, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: Interstitial cells of Cajal; Spontaneous electrical activities; Urinary bladder