Microglial cells are activated in response to brain insults; the mechanisms of this process are not yet understood. One of the important signaling mechanisms that might be involved in microglia activation is related to changes in the intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Using fluo-3 microfluorimetry, we have found that external application of the complement fragment C5a (4-10 nM) indu...

We have investigated sources of Ca2+ contributing to excitation of human esophageal smooth muscle, using fura 2 to study cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in dispersed cells and contraction of intact muscles. Acetylcholine (ACh) caused an initial peak rise of [Ca2+]ifollowed by a plateau accompanied by reversible contraction. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ or addition of dihydropyridin...

We have studied the effects of extracellular nucleotides on the cytosolic free calcium concentration [( Ca2+]i) in J774 macrophages using quin2 and indo-1 as indicator dyes. Micromolar quantities of ATP induced a biphasic increase in [Ca2+]i: a rapid and transient increase (peak I) which was due to mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores and a second more sustained elevation (peak II) du...

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration in many cell types, but the signaling mechanism remains uncertain. The recent identification of three closely related seven-transmembrane domain receptors for S1P, termed Edg1, H218, and Edg3, support the extracellular ligand role of S1P and allowed examination of Ca2+ responses mediated specifically by each receptor subty...

Intracellular Ca2+ oscillations induced by oxytocin and vasopressin were analyzed in a rat liver cell line (Clone 9) in order to identify mechanisms by which benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) alters Ca2+ signaling patterns in these cells. Clone 9 cells exhibit an initial Ca2+ spike, followed by Ca2+ oscillations upon oxytocin or vasopressin treatment. The range of frequencies (maximum 110 mHz) was dependent...

Extracellular nucleotides cause elevation of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i)) in osteoclasts, although the sources of Ca2+ are uncertain. Activation of P2Y receptors causes Ca2+ release from stores, whereas P2X receptors are ligand-gated channels that mediate Ca2+ influx in some cell types. To examine the sources of Ca2+, we studied osteoclasts from rat and rabbit using fura 2 fluo...

We have found that human chymase produces a 31-amino acid endothelin [ET-1-(1-31)] from the 38-amino acid precursor (Big ET-1). We examined the mechanism of synthetic ET-1-(1-31)-induced intracellular Ca2+ signaling in cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells. ET-1-(1-31) increased the intracellular free Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a concentration-dependent manner (10-14-10-10M). T...

In vascular smooth muscle, elevation of agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) occurs via both Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and Ca2+influx across the plasma membrane. In the cerebral vasculature of the fetus and adult the relative roles of these mechanisms have not been defined. To test the hypothesis that plasma membrane L-type and receptor-operated Ca2+ channels ...

Sound overstimulation and exposure to ototoxic drugs damage cochlear hair cells (HCs) and cause their death. The surrounding support cells maintain an epithelial barrier and the appropriate physiological environment for surviving HCs during pathological conditions. Coordination of this homeostatic process requires cellular signalling. However, the signalling events that are activated during dam...