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. 1993 Dec 15;12(13):5287–5291. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1993.tb06224.x

Critical intracellular Ca2+ concentration for all-or-none Ca2+ spiking in single smooth muscle cells.

M Iino 1, T Yamazawa 1, Y Miyashita 1, M Endo 1, H Kasai 1
PMCID: PMC413794  PMID: 8262071

Abstract

Neurotransmitters induce contractions of smooth muscle cells initially by mobilizing Ca2+ from intracellular Ca2+ stores through inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptors. Here we studied roles of the molecules involved in Ca2+ mobilization in single smooth muscle cells. A slow rise in cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in agonist-stimulated smooth muscle cells was followed by a wave of rapid regenerative Ca2+ release as the local [Ca2+]i reached a critical concentration of approximately 160 nM. Neither feedback regulation of phospholipase C nor caffeine-sensitive Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release was found to be required in the regenerative Ca2+ release. These results indicate that Ca(2+)-dependent feedback control of InsP3-induced Ca2+ release plays a dominant role in the generation of the regenerative Ca2+ release. The resulting Ca2+ release in a whole cell was an all-or-none event, i.e. constant peak [Ca2+]i was attained with agonist concentrations above the threshold value. This finding suggests a possible digital mode involved in the neural control of smooth muscle contraction.

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Selected References

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