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The organisation and functions of local Ca²⁺ signals

Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge, CB2 4AT, UK

View larger version (30K): [in a new window]   Fig. 1. Ca2+ puffs in a HeLa cell. The black and red traces in A show the onset of a Ca2+ wave in a single histamine-stimulated HeLa cell. The Ca2+ puffs are visible prior to the Ca2+ wave. The spatial profile of a Ca2+ puff is indicated by the surface plot in B. Ca2+ concentration is coded by the height and colour of the surface. The black and red traces in A were obtained by averaging the Ca2+ concentration over the regions marked by the correspondingly coloured circles on the inset cell image. Modified figure reproduced, with permission, from Thomas et al., 2000.

View larger version (35K): [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Ca2+ sparks underlie global Ca2+ signals in cardiac myocytes. The figure shows a sequence of images of the same ventricular cardiomyocyte taken at 33 millisecond intervals. The left-hand image shows the cell with a low resting Ca2+ concentration prior to stimulation. The right-hand image shows that 66 milliseconds after electrical stimulation (marked with ‘lightening zap’ symbol) the cell shows a homogenous Ca2+ increase. On the rising phase (middle image), the Ca2+ increase can be seen as many focal Ca2+ increases (Ca2+ sparks).

View larger version (23K): [in a new window]   Fig. 3. Triggering Ca2+ sparks by T-type VOCCs or Ins(1,4,5)P3Rs. This figure illustrates the activation of spontaneous Ca2+ sparks by T-type VOCCs in primary cardiac pacemaker cells and Ins(1,4,5)P3Rs in atrial cells. RyRs and Ins(1,4,5)P3Rs are coloured orange and blue, respectively. The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is green.

View larger version (25K): [in a new window]   Fig. 4. Activation of STOCs and STICs by Ca2+ sparks in smooth muscle. The Ca2+ spark originating from RyRs can activate BK channels, C- channels or both (producing a STOIC). Ca2+ entry via L-type VOCCs does not recruit such Ca2+ spark sites but leads to global Ca2+ increases that trigger contraction.

View larger version (23K): [in a new window]   Fig. 5. Modulation of the after hyperpolarisation (AHP) by Ca2+ release. The figure illustrates the consequences of single or multiple action potentials on the activation of BK and SK channels in bullfrog sympathetic neurons. See text for details. Modified figure reproduced, with permission, from Akita and Kuba, 2000.

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