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Oxytocin‐evoked repetitive rises of intracellular calcium in single cultured human myometrial cells
Author(s) -
Thornton S,
Gillespie JI,
Dunlop W
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
experimental physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0958-0670
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1992.sp003599
Subject(s) - oxytocin , extracellular , intracellular , calcium , medicine , endocrinology , calcium in biology , agonist , chemistry , myometrium , biophysics , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , uterus , receptor
Repetitive transient increases in intracellular calcium were recorded in single cultured human myometrial cells exposed continuously to oxytocin (1 pM‐1 nM). Each transient was preceded by a pacemaker‐like gradual increase in baseline [Ca2+]i. Removal of extracellular Ca2+ reversibly stopped the transients although small fluctuations in [Ca2+]i were observed in seven out of eleven cells studied. In a proportion of cells (1–2%) repetitive Ca2+ transients were observed in the absence of exogenous oxytocin. The pattern of activity was similar to that seen in cells exposed to oxytocin. These spontaneous elevations in [Ca2+]i were reversibly inhibited by removing extracellular calcium. These experiments demonstrate for the first time repetitive agonist‐induced and spontaneous transient increases in [Ca2+]i in single cultured human myometrial cells.