Table 1.

Inhibition of calcium waves in primary cultures of cortical astrocytes

Compound	Wave radius, % of control
ATP, 10 μM, prior exposure	5  ±  4*
2MeSATP, 10 μM, prior exposure	11  ±  8*
Suramin, 100 μM	18  ±  10*
Reactive blue, 30 μM	0
PPADS, 50 μM	87  ±  17
Apyrase, 40 units/ml	22  ±  4*
NPPB, 100 μM	53  ±  5*
SITS, 3 mM	56  ±  5*
Furosemide, 5 mM	57  ±  7*

Extent of astrocytic calcium signaling was examined in control (vehicle treated) and in matched cultures exposed to several compounds. The wave radius was measured as the farthest distance traveled by the wave in any direction from the stimulated cell. The percentage change in wave radius was calculated as the mean of wave radius in presence of inhibitor divided by the mean of wave radius during control condition (mean ± SEM). Radius of calcium waves was in the range of 200–300 μm during control conditions. SITS, 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid; PPADS, pyridoxal phosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid tetrasodium salt; NPPB, 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid. 

^*Statistically significant difference from control at P < 0.05 by t test; n = 5–35.