The quality control indices of myocyte isolation (viability, yield, survival time, cell response, etc.) suggest that the adult rat myocyte model is stable and useful in [Ca2+]i measurements and functional studies at the cellular level. Moreover, diabetic cardiomyocytes are a valuable model for studying cellular functions of the diabetic heart as they retain most of the features of cardiac dysfu...

Intracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i) among cultured hippocampal neurons were monitored during and in the hours following an excitotoxic glutamate application to determine the time course of changes involved in delayed excitotoxicity. After a 5 min toxic insult, [Ca2+]i increased immediately and remained elevated for an hour. Subsequently, [Ca2+]i declined to normal resting levels and ...

Tunicamycin is a nucleoside antibiotic that inhibits protein glycosylation and palmitoylation. The therapeutic use of tunicamycin is limited in animals because of its toxic effects, particularly in cerebral vasculature. Tunicamycin decreases palmitoylation of the endothelial isoform of nitric oxide synthase, stimulates nitric oxide synthesis, and increases the concentration of intracellular cal...