Acetylcholine-induced calcium oscillation in isolated outer hair cells in guinea pig

Objective This study is to explore the relationship between acetylcholine(ACh)-induced calcium release from intracellular Ca2+ stores and function of outer hair cell(OHC) motors, in an attempt to elucidate the mechanism of OHC electromotility at resting state. Methods OHCs were isolated from adult guinea pig (200-300 g) cochlea and loaded with Fluo-3/AM. The cells were treated with ACh/dHBSS, ACh/HBSS, dHBSS only or HBSS only. Intracellular [Ca2+]i variations in cells under the four treatments were observed using an Ar-Kr laser scan confocal microscope. Results [Ca2+]i oscillations were recorded in five OHCs treated with ACh/dHBSS but not in other cells. This is the first time that Ach-excited [Ca2+]i oscillations are reported in guinea pig OHCs independent of extracellular calcium. Conclusions ACh-excited [Ca2+]i oscillations in OHCs originates from intracellular calcium release and may play a crucial role in maintaining active mechanical motility of the OHC at resting and modulating OHC electromotility.

Stochastic Kinetics of Intracellular Calcium Oscillations

A stochastic model of intracellular calcium oscillations is put forward by taking into account the random opening closing of Ca 2+ channels in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. The numerical results of the stochastic model show simple and complex calcium oscillations, which accord with the experiment results.

Model for Influences of Magnetic Fields on Intracellular Calcium Oscillations

Based on the model of the two calcium stores developed by Goldbeter, the influence of external magnetic field on the calcium concentration has been discussed. We believe that the cell membrane is a major site of interaction for extremely-low-frequency （ELF） electromagnetic fields, and the permeability of ions can be changed with the changing electromagnetic fields. It is shown that magnetic field initiates intraeellular calcium oscillation with a threshold in flux density, and that the calcium oscillations do not occur if the density of magnetic field is below the threshold. The results of theoretical calculation are consistent with that of the experiment. The intracellular free calcium concentrations of different cells exposed to the same magnetic fields are different from each other. It is indicated that the different behaviors such as oscillation, rise and invariability of calcium concentration are associated with the sort of cells.

Effects of non-Gaussian noise on a calcium oscillation system

We investigate the effects of the non-Gaussian colored noise on a calcium oscillation system using stochastic simulation methods. It is found that the reciprocal coefficient of variance R has a maximum （Rmax） with increasing noise intensity Q. The non-Gaussian noise parameter q has an important effect on the system. For some values of q （e.g., q = 0.9, q = 1.0）, R has a maximum with increasing correlation time t. Non-Gaussian noise induced spikes are more regular than Gaussian noise induced spikes when q is small and Q has large values. The R has a maximum with increasing q. Therefore, non-Gaussian noise could play more effective roles in the calcium oscillation system.

THE GENERATION, EVOLUTION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF INTRACELLUAR CALCIUM OSCILLATIONS AND WAVES

The Atri intracellular calcium oscillations model was extended, and two new models were established. Furthermore, a unified model of the protein phosphorylation driven by cytosolic calcium oscillations was constructed. The numerical results obtained verified related experimental conclusions. And the analytical expressions of intracellular calcium spiral and target waves in the Xenopus laevis oocyte were obtained, resulting in velocity and waveform of calcium solitary pulse wave were found.

INTRACELLULAR SOLITARY PULSE CALCIUM WAVES IN FROG SYMPATHETIC NEURONS

In certain extracellular environments, there would appear a kind of solitary pulse calcium waves in Rana pipiens sympathetic neurons, propagating inwards along the radial direction from the plasma membrane. To gain a deeper insight into the waves, a model describing intracellular calcium waves in frog sympathetic neurons was established. In the piecewise linear approximation, the present model is identical to the Sneyd model. Thus, with (Sneyd's) method, analytical expressions for the wave speed and profiles of 1-D solitary pulse wave were obtained. A wave speed of (21.5 μm/s) was deduced, which agrees rather well with experimental data.

System-Size induced Coherence Resonance in Coupled Minimal Cytosolic Ca^2＋ Oscillation Models

We have investigated the collective behaviour of an array of coupled minimal cytosotic Ca^2＋ oscillation models by numerical methods, taking into account the external noise resulting from the random extracellular stimulation. It is found that the system size, i.e. the number of minimal cytosolic Ca^2＋ oscillation models, has an optimal value, at which the system collective dynamics shows the best performance. The effect of the coupling strength has also been studied. Such a phenomenon of system-size resonance has been found for different coupling strengths, but the optimal system size increases when the coupling strength increases.

System Size Resonance Associated with Canard Phenomenon in a Biological Cell System

The influence of internal noise on the calcium oscillations is studied. It is found that stochastic calcium oscillations occur when the internal noise is considered, while the corresponding deterministic dynamics only yields a steady state. Also,. the performance of such oscillations shows two maxima with the variation of the system size, indicating the occurrence of system size resonance. This behavior is found to be intimately connected with the canard phenomenon. Interestingly, it is also found that one of the optimal system sizes matches well with the real cell size, and such a match is robust to the variation of the control parameters.

Water Channels Are Involved in Stomatal Oscillations Encoded by Parameter-Specific Cytosolic Calcium Oscillations

Earlier studies have shown that various stimuli can induce specific cytosolic calcium （[Ca^2＋]cyt） oscillations in guard cells and various oscillations in stomatal apertures. Exactly how [Ca^2＋]cyt oscillation signaling functions in stomatal oscillation is not known. In the present study, the epidermis of broad bean （Vicia faba L.） was used and a rapid ion-exchange treatment with two shifting buffers differing in K^＋ and Ca^2＋ concentrations was applied. The treatment for fivetransients at a 10-min transient period induced clear and regular stomatal oscillation. However, for other transient numbers and periods, the treatments induced some Irregular oscillations or even no obvious oscillations in stomatal aperture. The results indicate that stomatal oscillation Is encoded by parameter-specific [Ca^2＋]cyt oscillation： the parameters of [Ca^2＋]cyt oscillation affected the occurrence rate and the parameters of stomatal oscillation. The water channel inhibitor HgCl2 completely Inhibited stomatal oscillation and the inhibitory effect could be partially reversed by β-mercaptoethanol （an agent capable of reversing water channel inhibition by HgCl2）. Other Inhibitory treatments against Ion transport （i.e. the application of LaCIs, EGTA, or tetraethylammonlum chloride （TEACI）） weakly impaired stomatal oscillation when the compounds were added after rapid ion-exchange treatment. If these compounds were added before rapid-ion exchange treatment, the inhibitory effect was much more apparent （except In the case of TEACI）. The results of the present study suggest that water channels are involved In stomatal oscillation as a downstream element of [Ca^2＋]cyt oscillation signaling.

A neglected GABAergic astrocyte:Calcium dynamics and involvement in seizure activity

Gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) contributes substantially to neurocognitive function as an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human cerebral cortex. However, the pathophysiology of disorders such as epilepsy are not well understood, since GABA agonists are not quite effective in treating epilepsy. Knowledge of the mechanism of action of GABA would contribute to review previously proposed anti-epileptic processes by GABA agonists. In this study based on recent experiments on GABAergic astrocytes, we developed a modified GABAergic astrocyte model, and successfully simulated a long-lasting Ca^(2+) oscillation in astrocytes after 0.5-s stimulation of GABAergic transmission. We then incorporated this GABAergic astrocyte model into a classical Ullah-Schiff seizure model and surprisingly found that this GABAergic astrocyte model functions to hinder the anti-epileptic action of GABA agonists, thereby explaining their low efficiency in previous experiments. These results also update our knowledge of the mechanism of action of GABA and the effects of astrocytes on physiological and pathological functions of the brain.