Unidirectional Ca2 Research Articles

Pertussis toxin does not inhibit muscarinic-receptor-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis or calcium mobilization.

Pertussis toxin was used to examine the role of the inhibitory guanine nucleotide regulatory protein, Ni, in muscarinic-receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphoinositide turnover and calcium mobilization. In cultured chick heart cells, pertussis-toxin treatment inhibited muscarinic-receptor-mediated attenuation of isoprenaline-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. This finding is consistent with the proposal that pertussis toxin blocks the capacity of Ni to couple muscarinic receptors to adenylate cyclase. In contrast, treatment of chick heart cells or 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells with pertussis toxin did not block muscarinic-receptor-mediated stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis, as measured by [3H]inositol phosphate accumulation in the presence of Li+. Pertussis-toxin treatment also had little effect on basal and muscarinic-receptor-stimulated phosphatidylinositol synthesis, as measured by the incorporation of [3H]inositol into phosphatidylinositol. Activation of muscarinic receptors also enhances the rate of unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux in 1321N1 cells; this response, like phosphoinositide hydrolysis, was not prevented by pertussis-toxin treatment. Our data suggest that muscarinic receptors are not coupled to phosphoinositide hydrolysis or calcium mobilization through Ni.

Mobilization of extracellularly bound Ca2+ during high K+ and norepinephrine stimulation of the rabbit aorta.

The effects of alpha-adrenergic stimulation and high K+-induced membrane depolarization on 45Ca2+ uptake and tension generation in the rabbit aorta were investigated. Tension and unidirectional 45Ca2+ uptake were increased by both stimulants. Moreover, this 'steady-state' uptake remained elevated for as long as the stimulants were present. When tissues were preincubated in 45Ca2+-containing PSS prior to the Ne or high K+ challenge the resulting Ca2+ uptake showed an 'initial burst' of uptake which was not observed in the 'steady-state' experiments. The magnitude of the 'initial burst' increased with time displaying a t1/2 for exchange of 1.25 min for both high K+ and Ne, suggesting that this Ca2+ source is shared by both stimulants. The 'initial burst' became Ca2+ saturated when [Ca2+]o was between 0.5 and 1.5 mM, was enhanced by 45Ca2+ preincubation in a solution of lowered ionic strength and was inhibited (approximately 70%) by D600 (5 X 10(-6) M). In contrast, the 'steady-state' uptake was linearly dependent on [Ca2+]o up to 6.4 mM, was 90% inhibited by 5 X 10(-6) M D600 and was unaffected by lowered ionic strength. It is concluded that the properties displayed by the Ca2+ source responsible for the 'initial burst' and 'steady-state' uptake suggest that they are of distinct origin; the 'initial burst' being derived from a bound extracellular Ca2+ pool and the 'steady-state' uptake resulting from the uptake of free Ca2+ dissolved in the extracellular space.

The relationship between alpha 1-adrenergic receptor occupation and the mobilization of intracellular calcium.

We have simultaneously quantitated alpha 1-adrenergic receptor occupation and agonist-elicited Ca2+ mobilization monitored as unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux from intact BC3H-1 muscle cells in order to examine the relationship between the number of surface receptors occupied and the functional response. [3H]Prazosin has been used to measure receptor number as well as the binding kinetics with surface receptors, and the observed equilibrium and kinetic constants are in close accord with values obtained previously in cellular homogenates. Since alpha 1-agonist-elicited 45Ca2+ efflux can be monitored over intervals of 3 min or less and prazosin dissociation from its receptor has a t 1/2 of 44 min, prazosin can be employed to produce a pseudoirreversible inactivation of receptors. A comparison of the remaining receptors and residual response reveals an inverse linear relationship between receptors inactivated by prazosin and 45Ca2+ efflux. A similar result is obtained following fractional receptor inactivation with the irreversible alkylating agent phenoxybenzamine. Parameters of receptor occupation and response also correlate well for the agonist phenylephrine and for the competitive antagonist phentolamine. The unitary relationship between sites available for occupation and response indicates that the alpha 1 receptor does not function as an oligomer where fewer bound antagonist molecules are required to block the receptor than sites of agonist occupation necessary for activation. Moreover, substantial evidence has accrued in intact smooth muscle for a receptor reserve or nonlinear coupling between alpha 1 receptor occupation and contraction in smooth muscle. Our findings demonstrate that such behavior does not exist for alpha 1 receptor-elicited mobilization of Ca2+ in the BC3H-1 muscle cell.

Effects of calcium flux inhibitors on contracture and calcium content during inhibition of high energy phosphate production in cultured heart cells

The effects of inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation by 1 mM cyanide (CN) and of glycolysis by 20 mM 2-deoxyglucose (2DG) on contraction and relaxation of cultured monolayers of chick embryo heart cells were determined. Exposure to these agents first induced a gradual decline in contractility and a transient impairment of relaxation. Spontaneous beating then ceased, associated with increased relaxation, followed by a marked and prolonged contracture. This contracture was completely reversible after washout of metabolic inhibitors. The effects of calcium flux inhibitors on the time course of development of contracture were studied. Verapamil, which inhibits Ca influx via the slow Ca channel, delayed the onset of contracture when used in pretreatment, but had no effect if added to cultures after exposure to CN + 2DG. Lanthanum, which inhibits Ca influx both via the slow Ca channel and via Na-Ca exchange, delayed onset of contracture if added after exposure to CN and 2DG, but accelerated contracture if added prior to treatment with CN + 2DG. Cellular exchangeable calcium content, measured after exposure to CN and 2DG for the same time period that produced contracture, was reduced compared to the control level while unidirectional Ca influx rate was not measurably altered. Exchangeable Ca content was unaffected by pretreatment with verapamil and La, but was reduced if cells were exposed to La after metabolic inhibition. These findings suggest that after metabolic inhibition intracellular storage capacity for Ca+ is reduced in cultured heart cells. Ca influx via the slow Ca channel after metabolic inhibition does not appear to contribute to development of contracture in this model system. However, Ca entry via Na-Ca exchange may accelerate cellular contracture developing after metabolic inhibition of ATP production.

The effect of phenothiazines on Ca 2+ fluxes in skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum

The effect of phenothiazines (trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine, methochlorpromazine, and imipramine) on Ca 2+ fluxes in light and heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) isolated from rabbit fast-twitch skeletal muscle was investigated. These drugs inhibited Ca 2+ loading and (Ca 2+,Mg 2+)-ATPase activity, but had no effect on unidirectional Ca 2+ efflux from vesicles loaded either actively or passively with Ca 2+. Chlorpromazine, which is membrane permeable, and its quaternary analog, methochlorpromazine, which is membrane impermeable, gave identical results. It is concluded that (a) the enhancement of net Ca 2+ release by phenothiazines is due to inhibition of Ca 2+ influx mediated by the Ca 2+ pump rather than to the opening of a Ca 2+ channel; and (b) phenothiazines act at the outer (myoplasmic) face of the SR membrane.

Bay K8644 differentiates between potential and receptor operated Ca 2+ channels

Bay K8644 increased unidirectional Ca 2+ influx and produced tension development in rabbit aorta. Both responses could be evoked in the tissue maximally stimulated with norepinephrine. When the arterial rings were maximally activated by high K + depolarization, Bay K8644 was without effect. The tension evoked by high K + and Bay K8644 was more sensitive to the dihydropyridine Ca 2+ antagonist PY108-068 than norepinephrine induced tension. These results indicate that Bay K8644 activates only potential operated Ca 2+ channels which are opened by high K + depolarization.

Alpha 1-adrenergic receptor activation mobilizes cellular Ca2+ in a muscle cell line.

Regulation of cellular Ca2+ movements by alpha 1-adrenergic receptors has been studied using 45Ca2+ flux techniques in monolayer cultures of intact BC3H-1 cells. Unidirectional 45Ca2+ efflux from BC3H-1 cells reveals multiphasic kinetics, with a major fraction of cellular Ca2+ residing in a slowly exchanging intracellular compartment. Stimulation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors by the agonist phenylephrine substantially increases 45Ca2+ unidirectional efflux, accompanied by a far smaller increase in 45Ca2+ influx. The selective enhancement of 45Ca2+ unidirectional efflux upon alpha 1-adrenergic receptor activation results in a net 30-40% decline in total cell Ca2+ content, measured either by radioisotopic equilibrium techniques or by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The relatively large pool of Ca2+ responsive to alpha-adrenergic stimulation is not displaced by La3+ but can be depleted with the Ca2+ ionophore A-23187. These results indicate that alpha 1-adrenergic receptor activation predominantly mobilizes Ca2+ from intracellular stores, together with a much smaller increase in transmembrane Ca2+ permeability. This interpretation is supported by comparative 45Ca2+ flux studies using a sister clone of BC3H-1 cells possessing surface nicotinic acetylcholine receptors but no alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Agonist stimulation of the cholinergic receptor opens a well characterized transmembrane ion permeability gate. Cholinergic receptor activation greatly enhances the observed 45Ca2+ unidirectional influx relative to efflux, leading to net elevation of cellular Ca2+ content as Ca2+ moves down its inwardly directed concentration gradient.

Calcium-induced calcium release from purified cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. General characteristics.

Isolated canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum exhibits Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from both actively and passively loaded vesicles. The rate and extent of Ca2+ release depend on the extravesicular ionized Ca2+ concentration ( [Ca2+]o) at the onset of release. Maximal release following ATP-dependent, phosphate-facilitated Ca2+ loading (up to 360 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein/min at 37 degrees C) occurs at 1.5-2 microM [Ca2+]o, with reduced release at both lower and higher Ca2+ concentrations (half-maximal Ca2+ release at approximately 0.8 and 5.5 microM [Ca2+]o). Only a portion of the accumulated Ca2+ is released and the release is followed by reuptake of Ca2+. A similar Ca2+ dependence is obtained in the absence of ATP and Pi by measuring unidirectional Ca2+ efflux from passively loaded vesicles (maximal Ca2+ efflux at 1 microM [Ca2+]o; half-maximal Ca2+-dependent efflux at approximately 0.15 and 13 microM [Ca2+]o). Although the Ca2+ release rates observed in this study are several orders of magnitude lower than the rate of Ca2+ release which occurs in muscle cells in vivo, this Ca2+ release phenomenon may be related to the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release which has been described for skinned cardiac cells ( Fabiato , A. (1983) Am. J. Physiol. 245, C1-C14). Ca2+ release occurs in the presence of an ATP-regenerating system and is not accompanied by a reduction in ATP hydrolysis. Also, since unidirectional Ca2+ efflux (as high as 860 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein/min at 37 degrees C) exceeds net Ca2+ release under similar conditions, Ca2+ influx proceeds during the period of net Ca2+ release. Therefore, Ca2+ release does not involve reversal or cessation of inward Ca2+ pumping. Other data indicate that Ca2+ release is not mediated through the Ca2+ pump protein, but occurs through a separate Ca2+-dependent efflux pathway, possibly a channel.

Cobalt inhibition of insulin release: evidence for an action not related to Ca2+ uptake.

Insulin release, Ca2+ fluxes, and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels were measured under various conditions to test the selectivity of cobalt (Co2+) actions in pancreatic islets. Insulin release was measured simultaneously either with 45Ca2+ uptake or 45Ca2+ efflux from rat islets maintained 2 days in tissue culture. Glucose (16.7 mM)-stimulated insulin release was inhibited by Co2+ (0.25, 0.5 mM) without concomitant inhibition of glucose-stimulated 45Ca2+ uptake. At higher concentrations of Co2+ (1.0, 2.5 mM) glucose- as well as K+-stimulated insulin release were inhibited in parallel with 45Ca2+ uptake. In the presence or the absence of external Ca2+, Co2+ (0.5 mM) also decreased 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-stimulated insulin release, which does not depend on the stimulation of Ca2+ uptake. Co2+ did not alter islet cAMP levels. Co2+ also did not affect the unidirectional basal 45Ca2+ efflux measured in the absence of Ca2+ but completely overcame the stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux evoked by the removal of external Mg2+. Under the latter conditions, 50, but not 5 microM verapamil, decreased the stimulated 45Ca2+ efflux. It is concluded that Co2+ is able to inhibit insulin release and lower Ca2+ efflux without apparent interference with Ca2+ uptake. This suggests that Co2+, in addition to its well-known inhibition of Ca2+ uptake, may exert its action at a distal step in the insulin release process.

Spontaneous calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Effect of local anesthetics.

Spontaneous calcium release from purified light sarcoplasmic reticulum has been previously described (Palade, P., Mitchell, R. D., and Fleischer, S. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 8098-8107) and found to be distinct from several other forms of Ca2+ release. Ca2+ release occurs after a lag period following active Ca2+ preloading and depletion of extravesicular Ca2+. In the present study, we find that local anesthetics inhibit spontaneous Ca2+ release, in a time-dependent manner, varying considerably in the preincubation time required to exert maximal effect. At pH 7.0, hydrophilic and mostly charged local anesthetics, such as procaine, procainamide, and N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl carbamoyl methyl)triethyl ammonium bromide, inhibit Ca2+ release only after long preincubations (hours), whereas more hydrophobic local anesthetics are effective after only a short incubation (minutes) with sarcoplasmic reticulum. The more hydrophobic anesthetics take somewhat longer to reach equilibrium, as studied by inhibition of unidirectional Ca2+ efflux, and there is a direct relationship between hydrophobic partition coefficient and half-time to reach equilibrium. Agents known to inhibit permeability pathways for monovalent cations i.e. K+ channel blockers (decamethonium and n-dodecane-1, 12-N,N,N,N',N',N'-hexamethyl-bis-ammonium) or the anion blocker (4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid), do not inhibit spontaneous Ca2+ release. Carbonyl cyanide m-fluorophenylhydrazone, a protonophore, and gramicidin D, a monovalent cation ionophore, have no effect on Ca2+ release whether local anesthetics are present or not, while the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 relieves inhibition of Ca2+ release by local anesthetics. Ruthenium red does not inhibit spontaneous Ca2+ release. These findings suggest that the binding site(s) for local anesthetics is located on the inner face of the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane and that local anesthetics interact directly with a Ca2+ channel rather than with other permeability pathways which might indirectly influence Ca2+ channel gating.

Ca 2+ release from energetically coupled tumor mitochondria

A Na+/Ca2+ exchange activity for Ca2+ efflux has been identified in isolated Ehrlich ascites tumor mitochondria. Further, under conditions favoring cycling of Ca2+ across the mitochondrial inner membrane, extramitochondrial [Ca2+] also was shown to be Na+-dependent. The Na+/Ca2+ exchange showed sigmoidal kinetics with a mean (+/-SD) [Na+] required for half maximal stimulation of Ca2+ efflux of 8.4 +/- 3.8 mM and a Hill coefficient of 1.6. Na+/Ca2+ exchange was very sensitive to inhibition by the Ca2+ antagonist diltiazem (56% inhibition at 7.5 nmoles X mg protein-1) whereas a number of other compounds, including verapamil, nupercaine, and trifluoperazine were less effective in inhibiting Ca2+ efflux. These data demonstrate for the first time the presence of a pathway in tumor mitochondria for unidirectional Ca2+ efflux induced by Na+, and provide a mechanism for regulation of tumor intra- and extramitochondrial [Ca2+]. Results of the present study support the need for further study of intracellular Na+ and its role in regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis in tumor cells.

Spontaneous calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. General description and effects of calcium.

A form of spontaneous calcium release from purified sarcoplasmic reticulum isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle is described. The conditions utilized for eliciting spontaneous release rely on preloading the vesicles with calcium in the presence of phosphate. Under the conditions of assay, spontaneous release begins only after a time delay following depletion of calcium ions from the extravesicular space. Release rates as high as 10-20 mumol/mg . min have been observed, but only a portion of the calcium accumulated is released. Released calcium is reaccumulated, and successive spontaneous releases of smaller amounts of calcium are observed under some conditions. Release occurs as a consequence primarily of an increase in unidirectional Ca2+ efflux and, secondarily, a decrease in unidirectional Ca2+ influx. Unidirectional efflux is enhanced by calcium preloading, enhanced by low (0.01-0.1 microM) and reduced by moderate (1-10 microM) extravesicular free calcium levels. Spontaneous Ca2+ release is favored by much lower free calcium concentrations than Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release. The inhibition of unidirectional efflux by calcium appears to involve active calcium uptake. Release is not mediated by a reversal of the calcium pump. The temperature dependence of the release process is steep, comparable with that of energized Ca2+ uptake. This may reflect a process involved in the gating of a hypothetical calcium channel in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane.

Effects of adenosine diphosphate on Ca 2+ fluxes and Ca 2+ accumulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum

Ca 2+ transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was examined by incubating sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles (0.15 mg/ml) at 37°C in, either normal medium that contained 0.15 M sucrose, 0.1 M KCl, 60 μM CaCl 2, 2.5 mM ATP and 30 mM Tes at pH 6.8, or a modified medium for elimination of ADP formed from ATP hydrolysis by including, in addition, 3.6 mM phosphocreatine and 33 U/ml of creatine phosphokinase. In normal medium, Ca 2+ uptake of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles reached a plateau of about 100 nmol/mg. In modified medium, after this phase of Ca 2+ uptake, a second phase of Ca 2+ accumulation was initiated and reached a plateau of about 300 nmol/mg. The second phase of Ca 2+ accumulation was accompanied by phosphate uptake and could be inhibited by ADP. Since, under these experimental conditions, there was no significant difference of the rates of ATP hydrolysis in normal medium and modified medium, extra Ca 2+ uptake in modified medium but not in normal medium could not be explained by different phosphate accumulation in the two media. Unidirectional Ca 2+ influx of sarcoplasmic reticulum near steady state of Ca 2+ uptake was measured by pulse labeling with 45Ca 2+. The Ca 2+ efflux rate was then determined by subtracting the net uptake from the influx rate. At the first plateau of Ca 2+ uptake in normal medium, Ca 2+ influx was balanced by Ca 2+ efflux with an exchange rate of 240 nmol/mg per min. This exchange rate was maintained relatively constant at the plateau phase. In modified medium, the Ca 2+ exchange rate at the first plateau of Ca 2+ uptake was about half of that in normal medium. When the second phase of Ca 2+ uptake was initiated, both the influx and efflux rates started to increase and reached a similar exchange rate as observed in normal medium. Also, during the second phase of Ca 2+ uptake, the difference between the influx and efflux rates continued to increase until the second plateau phase was approached. In conditions where the formation of ADP and inorganic phosphate was minimized by using a low concentration of sarcoplasmic (7.5 μg/ml) and/or using acetyl phosphate instead of ATP, the second phase of Ca 2+ uptake was also observed. These data suggest that the Ca 2+ load attained by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles during active transport is modulated by ADP accumulated from ATP hydrolysis. ADP probably exerts its effect by facilitating Ca 2+ efflux, which subsequently stimulates Ca 2+ exchange.

Interactions of Ca2+, Mg2+, and Na+ in regulation of insulin release from rat islets.

The effects of glucose and ionic modifications on unidirectional Ca2+ efflux and insulin release has been studied. Rat pancreatic islets were isotopically equilibrated with 45Ca2+ for 2 days and then perifused at 10(-8) M Ca2+ to allow for strict interpretation of 45Ca2+ efflux. Under these conditions 16.7 mM glucose inhibited Ca2+ efflux but did not stimulate insulin release. Removal of Mg2+ from the buffer markedly stimulated Ca2+ efflux that was counteracted by glucose. The omission of Na+ decreased basal Ca2+ efflux by 30% at 10(-8) M Ca2+, thus demonstrating the importance of Na-Ca countertransport for Ca2+ extrusion. Like glucose, Na+ omission or the addition of ouabain attenuated Ca2+ efflux stimulated by Mg2+ removal. Glucose may interfere with Na-Ca countertransport because the actions of 16.7 mM glucose and Na+ omission were not additive. At 10(-8) M Ca2+, glucose elicited insulin release only when both 1) loss of cellular calcium was minimized by prior inhibition of Ca2+ efflux (Na+ omission or ouabain), and 2) Ca2+ mobilization was favored by Mg2+ removal. Under these conditions (in contrast to normal Ca2+), insulin release was not accompanied by increased Ca2+ efflux. Thus, unidirectional Ca2+ measurements do not permit the detection of Ca2+ mobilization in intact islets because glucose may concomitantly inhibit Ca2+ extrusion.

Role of Mg2+ in the Ca2+-Ca2+ exchange mediated by the membrane-bound (Ca2+, Mg2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles were preloaded with either 45Ca2+ or unlabeled Ca2+. The unidirectional Ca2+ efflux and influx, together with Ca2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis and phosphorylation of the membrane-bound (Ca2+, Mg2+)-ATPase, were determined in the presence of ATP and ADP. The Ca2+ efflux depended on ATP (or ADP or both). It also required the external Ca2+. The Ca2+ concentration dependence of the efflux was similar to the Ca2+ concentration dependences of Ca2+ influx, Ca2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis, and phosphoenzyme formation. The rate of the efflux was approximately in proportion to the concentration of the phosphoenzyme up to 10 microM Ca2+. These results and other findings indicate that the Ca2+ efflux represents the Ca2+-Ca2+ exchange (between the external medium and the internal medium) mediated by the phosphoenzyme. In the range of 0.6-5.2 microM Mg2+, no appreciable Ca2+-Ca2+ exchange was detected although phosphoenzyme formation occurred to a large extent. Elevation of Mg2+ in the range 5.2 microM-4.8 mM caused a remarkable activation of the exchange, whereas the amount of the phosphoenzyme only approximately doubled. The kinetic analysis shows that this activation results largely from the Mg2+-induced acceleration of an exchange between the bound Ca2+ of the phosphoenzyme and the free Ca2+ in the internal medium. It is concluded that Mg2+ is essential for the exposure of the bound Ca2+ of the phosphoenzyme to the internal medium.

Mechanism of activation of isolated rabbit aorta by PGH2 analogue U-44069.

The effects of a stable analogue of PGH2 on 45Ca fluxes and tension were studied in the isolated rabbit aorta. U-44069 produced maximal tension responses at a concentration of 10(-7) M. The analogue increased smooth muscle Ca2+ content and increased the unidirectional 45Ca influx. U-44069 also induced contractions of reduced magnitude in the absence of external Ca2+ and caused a transient stimulation of 45Ca efflux, suggesting that the analogue releases intracellularly bound Ca2+. Both the contractile response in CA2+-free media and the stimulation of 45Ca efflux were greatly attenuated by prior exposure to norepinephrine. The analogue-induced contractions in Ca2+-free media were also prevented by prior exposure to histamine but not angiotensin II. D-600 completely blocked the U-44069-induced gain in calcium content (IC50 = 10(-6) M) but inhibited the contractile response by only 40%. It was concluded that the PGH2 analogue activates rabbit aorta by activating a CA2+ influx pathway and releasing a fraction of the intracellular Ca2+ pool that is sensitive to norepinephrine and other agonists.

Evidence for two separate Ca2+ pathways in smooth muscle plasmalemma

The activation of rabbit aortic smooth muscle was studied by two most widely used vascular smooth muscle stimulants: alpha-adrenoceptor activation by norepinephrine (NE) and high-K+ depolarization. This was studied by measurements of isometric contractions and net as well as unidirectional Ca2+ fluxes. These parameters showed markedly differential sensitivities towards tow smooth muscle inhibitors used in this study: D600 and amrinone. By choosing an appropriate concentration of D600 or amrinone, Ca2+ uptake or Ca2+ influx induced by high K+ or NE could by selectively inhibited. Furthermore, by using unidirectional flux measurements it was demonstrated that Ca2+ influx stimulated by NE and high K+ were additive in nature. The data from the addivity experiment exclude the interpretation of a common Ca2+ pathway with two separate mechanisms for opening it. The data on three criteria employed in this study provide evidence for the existence of two independent Ca2+ pathways, one for each mode of activation, for Ca2+ influx known to be associated with these contractions.

Calcium transport and exchange in mouse 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cells.

The kinetics of Ca++ uptake have been evaluated in 3T3 and SV40-3T3 mouse cells. The data reveal at least two exchangeable cellular compartments in the 3T3 and SV40-3T3 cell over a 50-min exposure to 45Ca++. A rapidly exchanging compartment may represent surface-membrane-localized Ca++ whereas a more slowly exchanging compartment is presumably intracellular. The transition of the 3T3 cell from exponential growth (at 3 day's incubation) to quiescence (at 7 days) is characterized by a 7.5-fold increase in the size of the fast component. Quiescence of the 3T3 cell is also characterized by a 3.2-fold increase in the unidirectional Ca++ influx into the slowly exchanging compartment and a 3.6-fold increase in its size. The increase in size of the slow compartment at quiescence may result from a redistribution of intracellular Ca++ to a more readily exchangeable compartment, possibly reflecting a release of previously bound Ca++. In contrast, no significant change in any of these parameters is observed in the proliferatively active SV40-3T3 cells after corresponding period of incubation, even though these cells attained higher growth densities and underwent postconfluence.

The cycling of calcium, sodium, and protons across the inner membrane of cardiac mitochondria.

A method is described that permits simultaneous determination of the net charge transfer associated with Ca2+ transport by the ruthenium-red-sensitive carrier and the ionized internal [Ca2+] in heart mitochondria. The data indicate that this carrier catalyses a charge-uncompensated flux of Ca2+. Full charge compensation for Ca2+ influx is provided by the respiration-dependent efflux of H+. The net efflux of Ca2+ induced by Na+ is analysed in terms of two other carriers, a Na+-Ca2+ antiporter and a Na+-H+ antiporter. Evidence is presented that these two carriers are separate and that the Na+-H+ exchange is the more rapid. The fluxes of Ca2+, Na+ and H+ during the Na+-induced efflux of Ca2+ support a series of events in which the Na+-H+ exchange enables unidirectional Ca2+ fluxes via the uniport and antiport systems to be integrated into a cycle.

Calcium movements across the membrane of human red cells.

1. A study has been made of the cellular content and movement of Ca across the membrane of human red blood cells.2. The [Ca] in the cellular contents of fresh red cells is 4.09 x 10(-2) mM. The intracellular concentration of free ionic Ca ([Ca(2+)]) is considered to be less than this value and therefore less than extracellular [Ca(2+)] under normal conditions.3. Observation of unidirectional Ca fluxes with (45)Ca confirms previous reports of low permeability of the red cell membrane for Ca. After nearly 1 week of loading in the cold, intracellular (45)Ca content is 1.8% of extracellular (45)Ca content. Appearance in extracellular fluid of (45)Ca from coldloaded cells can be considered to arise from two compartments. Efflux of (45)Ca from the ;slower compartment' is accelerated by the addition of glucose.4. Starved red cells, incubated at 37 degrees C, after reversible haemolysis for loading with Ca and Mg-ATP, exhibit an outward net transport of Ca against an electrochemical gradient. The transport is associated with the appearance of inorganic phosphate (P(i)). Cells treated similarly, but without ATP show no transport and no appearance of P(i).5. During the initial phase of transport, 1.3 mole P(i) appear per mole Ca transported.6. The transport of Ca from ATP-loaded cells is highly temperature-dependent, with a Q(10) of 3.5.7. Cell membrane adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity of reversibly haemolysed cells is stimulated only by intracellular, and not by extracellular Ca.8. Neither Ca transport in reversibly haemolysed cells, nor the Ca-Mg activated ATPase of isolated cell membranes is sensitive to Na, K, ouabain or oligomycin.9. Mg is not transported under the conditions which reveal Ca transport, but Mg appears to be necessary for Ca transport.10. Sr is transported from reversibly haemolysed Mg-ATP-loaded cells. Sr also can substitute for Ca, but not for Mg, in the activation of membrane ATPase.11. It is concluded that, in addition to a low passive permeability, an active extrusion mechanism for Ca exists in the human red cell membrane. This extrusion mechanism, in addition to a low passive membrane permeability for Ca, may represent the means by which intracellular Ca content is maintained at a low level. It is suggested that the Ca-Mg activated membrane ATPase and the active transport of Ca are two manifestations of the same process.