A novel pattern of fast calcium oscillations points to calcium and electrical activity cross-talk in rat chromaffin cells

Abstract.

Slow oscillations of cytosolic calcium ion concentration – $[{\text{Ca}}^{2 + } ]_{\text{c}}$ – typically originate from release by intracellular stores, but in some cell types can be triggered and sustained by Ca²⁺ influx as well. In this study we simultaneously monitored changes in $[{\text{Ca}}^{2 + } ]_{\text{c}}$ and in the electrical activity of the cell membrane by combining indo-1 and patch-clamp measurements in single rat chromaffin cells. By this approach we observed a novel type of spontaneous $[{\text{Ca}}^{2 + } ]_{\text{c}}$ oscillations, much faster than those previously described in these cells. These oscillations are triggered and sustained by complex electrical activity (slow action potentials and spike bursts), require Ca²⁺ influx and do not involve release from intracellular stores. The possible physiological implications of this new pathway of intracellular signalling are discussed.