A locally-induced increase in intracellular Ca2+ propagates cell-to-cell in the presence of plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase inhibitors in non-excitable cells.

摘要

Intercellular Ca(2+) waves are commonly observed in many cell types. In non-excitable cells, intercellular Ca(2+) waves are mediated by gap junctional diffusion of a Ca(2+) mobilizing messenger such as IP(3). Since Ca(2+) is heavily buffered in the cytosolic environment, it has been hypothesized that the contribution of the diffusion of Ca(2+) to intercellular Ca(2+) waves is limited. Here, we report that in the presence of plasma membrane Ca(2+) ATPase inhibitors, locally-released Ca(2+) from the flash-photolysis of caged-Ca(2+) appeared to induce further Ca(2+) release and were propagated from one cell to another, indicating that Ca(2+) was self-amplified to mediate intercellular Ca(2+) waves. Our findings support the notion that non-excitable cells can establish a highly excitable medium to communicate local responses with distant cells.