Figure 3.

Effect of gap junctions on Ca²⁺ oscillations in cells on a two-dimensional PA gel. (a) Densely packed cultures have more cells showing Ca²⁺ oscillations, [ATP] = 20 µM. (b) Cross-correlation analysis for calcium response of fibroblast cells on PA gel (E = 4500 Pa) to 40 µM ATP; gap junction communication is correlated with a time scale of approximately 100 s, while this correlation is reduced when gap junctions are inhibited. (c) Gap junction inhibition by 50 µM palmitoleic acid results in Ca²⁺ oscillations with smaller period than those in communicating cells (E = 4500 Pa). Values are the average of three experiments and error bars are standard errors of the mean (*p ≤ 0.05).