Abstract
The extracellular Ca2+‐sensing receptor (CaR) is a multimodal sensor that allows cells to detect and respond to changes in the extracellular Ca2+ concentration [Ca2+]o. Besides its role in Ca2+ homeostasis, the CaR has been shown in various specialized cells, suggesting its involvement in multiple cellular functions. Prenatal CaR expression was detected in mouse airway epithelium between E11,5 and E16,5 and was shown to play a role in airway branching morphogenesis. In postnatal lung tissue, the CaR so far has not been reported. Neuroepithelial bodies (NEBs) are densely innervated groups of neuroendocrine airway epithelial cells, believed to represent complex sensory receptors that are ideally placed to detect changes in the microenvironment. Immunostaining of postnatal mouse lungs showed a selective CaR expression on the basolateral membrane of NEB cells. Confocal Ca2+ imaging of NEBs in live mouse lung slices revealed that NEBs respond with a Ca2+ rise both to changes in [Ca2+]o and to various known CaR agonists (spermine, neomycin, calcimimetic R‐568). All responses were blocked by Calhex, a calcilytic CaR antagonist. The presented expression and proven functionality of the CaR in postnatal NEBs offer interesting perspectives for further unraveling NEB cell physiology.Support: IWT fellowship SB/81162 (RL); FWO grants G.0081.08 (DA) and G.0589.11N (DA, JPT); UA grants GOA BOF 2007 (DA) and KP BOF 2006 (IB)
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