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Localization of the site of Ca2 + release at the level of a single sarcomere in skeletal muscle fibres

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Abstract

THE development of mechanical force in skeletal muscle fibres is brought about by rapid increases in the intracellular calcium concentration (Ca2+transients) which can be detected by optical methods1–7. Local stimulation experiments8 and ultrastructural evidence9,10suggest that, at a microscopic level, these Ca2+ transients are generated by the release of Ca2+ ions from the terminal cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in response to the depolarization of the transverse tubules (t-tubules)11–14. Nevertheless, to date, there is no functional information on the exact location at which Ca2+ release takes place. The present experiments were designed to obtain direct evidence about dynamic changes in localization and microscopic distribution of Ca2+ in a single sarcomere using two independent novel methodologies: confocal spot detection of Ca2+ transients15,16 and Ca2+ imaging with pulsed laser excitation17,18.

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Author notes

  1. Julio L. Vergara: To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90024, USA

    Ariel L. Escobar & Julio L. Vergara

  2. Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, USA

    Jonathan R. Monck & Julio M. Fernandez

Authors
  1. Ariel L. Escobar
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  2. Jonathan R. Monck
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  3. Julio M. Fernandez
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  4. Julio L. Vergara
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Escobar, A., Monck, J., Fernandez, J. et al. Localization of the site of Ca2 + release at the level of a single sarcomere in skeletal muscle fibres. Nature 367, 739–741 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/367739a0

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