Abstract
Although Ca2+ plays a critical function in relaying intracellular messages, the role of subcellular organelles in the dynamics of intracellular Ca2+ still remains largely unexplored. We recently demonstrated that secretory granules can signal their own export from the cell by releasing Ca2+ to the cytosol. Oscillations and release of Ca2+ in/from the granule result from the combined action of a Ca2+/K+ ion exchange process that occurs in the granule's matrix, and the sequential activation of two Ca2+ -sensitive ion channels: an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor Ca2+ channel (InsP3R) and an apamin-sensitive Ca2+ -activated K+ channel (ASKCa). The results reported here from studies using isolated mucin granules indicate that intralumenal granular Ca2+ oscillations ([Ca2+]L) and the corresponding cyclical release of Ca2+ to the cytosol induced by InsP3 are accompanied by corresponding intragranular pHG oscillations. Our data show that K+ -induced unbinding of Ca2+ from the mucin matrix increases as the pHG declines. These observations suggest that oscillations of pHG can modulate the gain of the Ca2+/ K+ ion exchange process, thereby controlling the amplitude of [Ca2+]L oscillations and the granule-cytosol release gradient of [Ca2+].
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 132-149 |
Number of pages | 18 |
Journal | Novartis Foundation Symposium |
Volume | 248 |
State | Published - 2002 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine(all)