Abstract

In exocrine acinar cells a variety of neurotransmitters (e.g. acetylcholine) stimulate phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate hydrolysis elevating intracellular calcium to activate calcium-dependent membrane currents (outward K + and inward Cl −). This study shows that in lacrimal acinar cells extracellular application of ATP is also associated with outward and inward current responses; these, however, are not the result of phosphoinositide metabolism. ATP directly activates receptor-operated cation channels which permit influx of Na + and Ca + (the inward current). The elevation in [Ca 2+], which results is sufficient to activate the outward K + current. ATP thus promotes Ca + influx in the absence of phosphoinositide metabolism.

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