Human epidermal keratinocytes, immortalized by the intToduction of SV40-adenovirus recombinants {9). were maintained in a low calcium <e.I5 mM) defined medium. When differentiation was induced by a higher extracellular calcium concentration {I.5 mM), these cells altered in shape and developed stratification with forrnation of desmosornes, while they demons(rated limited terminal keratinization....

Calcium currents from neonatal rat ventricular heart muscle cells grown in primary culture were examined using the "whole-cell" voltage clamp technique. An inward current characterized by large amplitude and slow inactivation decay was induced when the extracellular Ca2+ concentration was reduced by EGTA. This current was suppressed by extracellular Na+ removal, or by calcium antagonists, and i...

on earth.The body of healthy adult human body contains about 1250 gms of calcium.Calcium exist in three domains in vertebrate body :as a solid in the form of calcium phosphate which is the extracellular mineral component of the skeleton;in ionic and protein bound formin the blood and extracellular fluids;and intracellularly,inside the cell it is found in variety of fixed binding sites.About 99%...

We examined the mechanism underlying increased quantal content after block of activity at the mouse neuromuscular junction in vivo. We found that, when quantal content was measured in solution containing normal extracellular calcium, block of activity had no effect on either quantal content or the response to repetitive stimulation. However, when quantal content was measured in low extracellula...

Previous studies suggested a role for calcium in CYP2E1-dependent toxicity. The possible role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activation in this toxicity was investigated. HepG2 cells that overexpress CYP2E1 (E47 cells) exposed to arachidonic acid (AA) +Fe-NTA showed higher toxicity than control HepG2 cells not expressing CYP2E1 (C34 cells). This toxicity was inhibited by the PLA2 inhibitors aristol...

Recruitment of macrophages to sites of cell death is critical for induction of an immunologic response. Calcium concentrations in extracellular fluids vary markedly, and are particularly high at sites of injury or infection. We hypothesized that extracellular calcium participates in modulating the immune response, perhaps acting via the seven-transmembrane calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) on matu...

Human mesangial cells in culture proliferate in response to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and thrombin. Both of these agents also induce changes in cytosolic calcium that are dependent on both mobilization of intracellular calcium and influx of extracellular calcium. We hypothesized that calcium channel blockers, by preventing influx of extracellular calcium, may inhibit proliferation i...

Extracellular calcium is a major regulator of keratinocyte differentiation in vitro and appears to play that role in vivo, but the mechanism is unclear. We have previously demonstrated that, following calcium stimulation, PIP5K1α is recruited by the E-cadherin-β-catenin complex to the plasma membrane where it provides the substrate PIP2 for both PI3K and PLC-γ1. This signaling pathway is critic...