Abstract
The sympathetic preganglionic nerve terminals of the rat superior cervical ganglion were loaded with the calcium indicator oregon green 488 BAPTA-1 to measure the change in calcium concentration in the terminal boutons, (delta[Ca2+]b) following short (1 or 5 impulses) and long (200 impulses) trains at 30 Hz. The delta[Ca2+]b after a single action potential or a short train declined in two phases: a fast phase with a time constant of 530+/-30 ms and a moderate phase with a time constant of 4.0+/-0.2 s. The delta[Ca2+]b following a long train eventually declined with a time constant of 127+/-34 s (slow phase). The addition of either omega-agatoxin TK (100 nM), omega-conotoxin GVIA (100 nM) or nifedipine (20 microM) to block P-type, N-type or L-type calcium channels respectively showed that the rise in delta[Ca2+ ]b in boutons was predominantly mediated by an influx of calcium through P-type (53+/-7%) and N-type (46+/-4%) calcium channels. Experiments with caffeine, ryanodine and thapsigargin indicate that intracellular caffeine-sensitive calcium stores have a small but statistically significant effect on the fast and moderate phases. The mitochondrial uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP; 2 microM) significantly decreased the amplitude of the slow phase of delta[Ca2+]b relaxation, and sped its time course, suggesting that mitochondria normally dump calcium during this phase. Adenosine reduced the amplitude of delta[Ca2+]b in response to single action potentials by 30+/-6%, suggesting that adenosine-mediated autoinhibition in these boutons reduces Ca2+ influx. Spontaneous increases in delta[Ca2+]b demonstrated Ca2+ coupling between adjacent boutons. The delta[Ca2+]b kinetics are compared with F2 facilitation, augmentation and post-tetanic potentiation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 26-37 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Journal of the autonomic nervous system |
Volume | 73 |
Issue number | 1 |
Publication status | Published - 1998 |