Abstract
Membrane potential and resistance were measured from two neighbouring electrically coupled cells within the same mouse pancreatic acinus, using one electrode filled with KCl and another filled with K-EGTA [ethylene glycol-bis-(β-amino ethyl ether) N,N′-tetra acetic acid] or K-acetate. EGTA was injected into one cell by passing pulses of hyperpolarizing current through the EGTA microelectrode. In order to ensure constant membrane potential, pulses of depolarizing current of the same intensity were simultaneously passed through the other electrode.
Intracellular injection of EGTA, but not acetate, decreased significantly the membrane response (depolarization, resistance reduction) of both coupled cells to small microionophoretic pulses of ACh stimulation. Responses to larger doses were decreased to a smaller extent. Intracellular injection of EGTA also decreased significantly the membrane response of both coupled cells to microionophoretic pulses of pentagastrin stimulation.
In contrast intracellular injection of EGTA did not inhibit membrane response tol-alanine stimulation.l-Alanine-evoked membrane depolarization was independent of external Ca. This is in contrast to what has previously been shown for secretagogue effects.
It is concluded that EGTA-induced sequestration of cytosolic Ca2+ decreases membrane responses to both ACh and pentagastrin, providing new evidence of the crucial role played by internal Ca2+ in mediating stimulus-permeability coupling. In contrast,l-alanine action does not appear to be mediated by internal Ca2+.
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Laugier, R., Petersen, O.H. Effects of intracellular EGTA injection on stimulant-evoked membrane potential and resistance changes in pancreatic acinar cells. Pflugers Arch. 386, 147–152 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00584202
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00584202