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Sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles embedded in agarose gel exhibit propagating calcium waves
Author(s) -
Wussling M.H.P.,
Krannich K.,
Landgraf G.,
Herrmann-Frank A.,
Wiedenmann D.,
Gellerich F.N.,
Podhaisky H.
Publication year - 1999
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(99)01595-1
Subject(s) - endoplasmic reticulum , calcium , vesicle , biophysics , organelle , calcium signaling , chemistry , mitochondrion , microbiology and biotechnology , membrane , biology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
In different cell types, activation of signal transduction pathways leads to the generation of calcium oscillations and/or waves. Due to this important impact for cellular function, calcium waves are the subject of intensive investigations. To study interactions of cell organelles with no influence of the cell membrane, sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and well‐coupled mitochondria were reconstituted. For the first time, we demonstrate the generation and propagation of calcium waves in a suspension of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, embedded in an agarose gel. The propagation dynamics resemble those of calcium waves in living cells. Moreover, the addition of well‐coupled mitochondria leads to more pronounced and significantly faster propagating waves, demonstrating the importance of the mitochondrial Ca 2+ transport. The experimental and simulation results indicate the resemblance of the in vitro system to an excitable medium.