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Propagation of intercellular Ca 2+ waves in mechanically stimulated articular chondrocytes
Author(s) -
D'Andrea Paola,
Vittur Franco
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(96)01356-7
Subject(s) - thapsigargin , intracellular , gap junction , extracellular , biophysics , stimulation , chemistry , phospholipase c , microinjection , microbiology and biotechnology , signal transduction , endocrinology , biochemistry , biology
Intercellular Ca 2+ signalling in primary cultures of articular chondrocytes was investigated with digital fluorescence video imaging. Mechanical stimulation of a single cell induced a wave of increased Ca 2+ that was communicated to surrounding cells. Intercellular Ca 2+ spreading was inhibited by 18α‐glycyrrhetinic acid, demonstrating the involvement of gap junctions in signal propagation. In the absence of extracellular Ca 2+ mechanical stimulation failed to induce Ca 2+ responses and communicated Ca 2+ waves. Under these conditions Ca 2+ microinjection induced intercellular waves involving the cells immediately surrounding the stimulated one. Mechanical stress induced Ca 2+ influx in the stimulated, but not in the adjacent cells, as assessed by the Mn 2+ quenching technique. Cell treatment with thapsigargin failed to block mechanically induced signal propagation, but significantly reduced the number of cells involved in the communicated Ca 2+ wave. Similar results were obtained with the phospholipase C inhibitor U73122, which is known to prevent InsP 3 generation. These results provide evidence that mechanical stimulation induces a cytosolic Ca 2+ increase that may permeate gap junctions, thus acting as an intercellular messenger mediating cell‐to‐cell communication in articular chondrocytes.