Figure 3. Ca²⁺_cyt accumulation in astrocytes induced by mechanical stimulation is modulated by the plasmalemmal PMCA, NCX, and NKA.

(A) Average kinetics of fluo-3 fluorescence, reporting on changes in Ca²⁺_cyt, in solitary astrocytes treated with pharmacological agents and in response to mechanical stimulation. Arrow represents the time when mechanical stimulation was applied to the cells. (B,C) Bar graphs showing normalized peak and cumulative Ca²⁺_cyt responses, respectively. When treated with caloxin 2A1, benzamil and ouabain, mechanically stimulated astrocytes had a decrease in the peak Ca²⁺_cyt response (B). Benzamil led to a decrease, while ouabain to an increase in the normalized cumulative Ca²⁺_cyt response obtained from mechanically stimulated astrocytes (C). Points and bars represent means±SEM of measurements from solitary astrocytes (numbers in parentheses); SEM are shown in single directions for clarity. Asterisks denote significant change in comparison with control group (one-way ANOVA, followed by Fisher's LSD test; *P<0.05, **P<0.01).