Evaluation of the pyroantimonate method for detecting intracellular calcium localization in smooth muscle fibers by the X-ray microanalysis of cryosections

1989 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Suzuki ◽  
H. Sugi
Author(s):  
A. LeFurgey ◽  
P. Ingram ◽  
L.J. Mandel

For quantitative determination of subcellular Ca distribution by electron probe x-ray microanalysis, decreasing (and/or eliminating) the K content of the cell maximizes the ability to accurately separate the overlapping K Kß and Ca Kα peaks in the x-ray spectra. For example, rubidium has been effectively substituted for potassium in smooth muscle cells, thus giving an improvement in calcium measurements. Ouabain, a cardiac glycoside widely used in experimental and clinical applications, inhibits Na-K ATPase at the cell membrane and thus alters the cytoplasmic ion (Na,K) content of target cells. In epithelial cells primarily involved in active transport, such as the proximal tubule of the rabbit kidney, ouabain rapidly (t1/2= 2 mins) causes a decrease2 in intracellular K, but does not change intracellular total or free Ca for up to 30 mins. In the present study we have taken advantage of this effect of ouabain to determine the mitochondrial and cytoplasmic Ca content in freeze-dried cryosections of kidney proximal tubule by electron probe x-ray microanalysis.


Author(s):  
Mischa Borsdorf ◽  
Markus Böl ◽  
Tobias Siebert

AbstractUniaxial tensile experiments are a standard method to determine the contractile properties of smooth muscles. Smooth muscle strips from organs of the urogenital and gastrointestinal tract contain multiple muscle layers with different muscle fiber orientations, which are frequently not separated for the experiments. During strip activation, these muscle fibers contract in deviant orientations from the force-measuring axis, affecting the biomechanical characteristics of the tissue strips. This study aimed to investigate the influence of muscle layer separation on the determination of smooth muscle properties. Smooth muscle strips, consisting of longitudinal and circumferential muscle layers (whole-muscle strips [WMS]), and smooth muscle strips, consisting of only the circumferential muscle layer (separated layer strips [SLS]), have been prepared from the fundus of the porcine stomach. Strips were mounted with muscle fibers of the circumferential layer inline with the force-measuring axis of the uniaxial testing setup. The force–length (FLR) and force–velocity relationships (FVR) were determined through a series of isometric and isotonic contractions, respectively. Muscle layer separation revealed no changes in the FLR. However, the SLS exhibited a higher maximal shortening velocity and a lower curvature factor than WMS. During WMS activation, the transversally oriented muscle fibers of the longitudinal layer shortened, resulting in a narrowing of this layer. Expecting volume constancy of muscle tissue, this narrowing leads to a lengthening of the longitudinal layer, which counteracted the shortening of the circumferential layer during isotonic contractions. Consequently, the shortening velocities of the WMS were decreased significantly. This effect was stronger at high shortening velocities.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph A. Jude ◽  
Mythili Dileepan ◽  
Reynold A. Panettieri ◽  
Timothy F. Walseth ◽  
Mathur S. Kannan

CD38 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in airway smooth muscle cells. The enzymatic activity of CD38 generates cyclic ADP-ribose from β-NAD. Cyclic ADP-ribose mobilizes intracellular calcium during activation of airway smooth muscle cells by G-protein-coupled receptors through activation of ryanodine receptor channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Inflammatory cytokines that are implicated in asthma upregulate CD38 expression and increase the calcium responses to contractile agonists in airway smooth muscle cells. The augmented intracellular calcium responses following cytokine exposure of airway smooth muscle cells are inhibited by an antagonist of cyclic ADP-ribose. Airway smooth muscle cells from CD38 knockout mice exhibit attenuated intracellular calcium responses to agonists, and these mice have reduced airway response to inhaled methacholine. CD38 also contributes to airway hyperresponsiveness as shown in mouse models of allergen or cytokine-induced inflammatory airway disease. In airway smooth muscle cells obtained from asthmatics, the cytokine-induced CD38 expression is significantly enhanced compared to expression in cells from nonasthmatics. This differential induction of CD38 expression in asthmatic airway smooth muscle cells stems from increased activation of MAP kinases and transcription through NF-κB, and altered post-transcriptional regulation through microRNAs. We propose that increased capacity for CD38 signaling in airway smooth muscle in asthma contributes to airway hyperresponsiveness.


2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (10) ◽  
pp. 941-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
N L Stephens ◽  
A Fust ◽  
H Jiang ◽  
W Li ◽  
X Ma

Smooth muscle relaxation has most often been studied in isometric mode. However, this only tells us about the stiffness properties of the bronchial wall and thus only about wall capacitative properties. It tells us little about airflow. To study the latter, which of course is the meaningful parameter in regulation of ventilation and in asthma, we studied isotonic shortening of bronchial smooth muscle (BSM) strips. Failure of BSM to relax could be another important factor in maintaining high airway resistance. To analyze relaxation curves, we developed an index of isotonic relaxation, t1/2(P, lCE), which is the half-time for relaxation that is independent of muscle load (P) and of initial contractile element length (lCE). This index was measured in curves of relaxation initiated at 2 s (normally cycling crossbridges) and at 10 s (latch-bridges). At 10 s no difference was seen for adjusted t1/2(P, lCE) between curves obtained from control and sensitized BSM, (8.38 ± 0.92 s vs. 7.78 ± 0.93 s, respectively). At 2 s the half-time was almost doubled in the sensitized BSM (6.98 ± 0.01 s (control) vs. 12.74 ± 2.5 s (sensitized)). Thus, changes in isotonic relaxation are only seen during early contraction. Using zero load clamps, we monitored the time course of velocity during relaxation and noted that it varied according to 3 phases. The first phase (phase i) immediately followed cessation of electrical field stimulation (EFS) at 10 s and showed almost the same velocity as during the latter 1/3 of shortening; the second phase (phase ii) was linear in shape and is associated with zero load velocity, we speculate it could stem from elastic recoil of the cells' internal resistor; and the third phase (phase iii) was convex downwards. The zero load velocities in phase iii showed a surprising spontaneous increase suggesting reactivation of the muscle. Measurements of intracellular calcium (Fura-2 study) and of phosphorylation of the 20 kDa myosin light chain showed simultaneous increments, indicating phase iii represented an active process. Studies are under way to determine what changes occur in these 3 phases in a sensitized muscle. And of course, in the context of this conference, just what role the plastic properties of the muscle play in relaxation requires serious consideration.Key words: airway smooth muscle, sensitized smooth muscle, isotonic relaxation, intracellular calcium transients, myosin light chain (20 kDa) phosphorylation.


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