• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.479-486
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• 2000

The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of the inhibitory action of carbon monoxide (CO) on contraction, by measuring cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ level $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ and ionic currents in guinea-pig ileum. CO (10%) inhibited 40 mM KCl-induced contraction and this effect was blocked by ODQ $(1\;{\mu}M),$ a soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) inhibitor. CO inhibited the 40 mM KCl-induced contraction without changing $[Ca^{2+}]_i.$ Cumulative addition of KCl induced a graded increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ and muscle tension. In the presence of CO, cumulative addition of KCl induced smaller contraction than in the absence of CO. On the other hand, the increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ induced by cumulative addition of KCl was only slightly decreased in the presence of CO, and the $[Ca^{2+}]_i-tension$ relationship shifted downwards. Using the patch clamp technique with a holding potential of -60 mV, we found that CO had little effect on the peak Ba currents $(I_{Ba})$ when voltage was stepped from -60 mV to 0 mV. In addition, CO showed no effect on the depolarization-activated outward $K^+$ currents in the all potential ranges. We conclude that CO inhibits smooth muscle contraction mainly by decreasing the $Ca^{2+}$ sensitivity of contractile elements via a cGMP-dependent pathway, not by involving L-type $Ca^{2+}$ and outward-potassium currents in guinea-pig ileum.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.3-15
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• 1997

Adrenal chromaffin cells secrete catecholamine in response to acetylcholine. The secretory response has absolute requirement for extracellular calcium, indication that $Ca^{2+}$ influx through voltage dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel (VDCC) is the primary trigger of the secretion cascade. Although the existence of various types of $Ca^{2+}$ channels has been explored using patch clamp technique in adrenal chromaffin cells, the contribution of different types of $Ca^{2+}$ channels to catecholamine secretion remains to be established. To investigate the quantative contribution of different types of $Ca^{2+}$ channels to cate-cholamine secretion, $Ca^{2+}$ current($I_{Ca}$) and the resultant membrane capacitance increment($\Delta{C}_{m}$) were simultaneoulsy measured. Software based phasor detector technique was used to monitor $\Delta{C}_{m}$. After blockade of L type VDCC with nicardipine (1$\mu$M), $I_{ca}$ was blocked to 43.85$\pm$6.72%(mean$\pm$SEM) of control and the resultant ㅿC$_{m}$ was reduced ot 30.10$\pm$16.44% of control. In the presence of nicardipine and $\omega$-conotoxin in GVIA(l$\mu$M), an N type VDCC antagonist, $I_{ca}$ was blocked to 11.62$\pm$2.96% of control and the resultant $\Delta{C}_{m}$ was reduced to 26.13$\pm$8.25% of control. Finally, in the presence of L, N, and P type $Ca^{2\pm}$ channel antagonists(nicardipine, $\omega$-Conotoxin GVIA, and $\omega$-agatoxin IVA, respectively), $I_{ca}$ and resultant $\Delta{C}_{m}$ were almost completely blocked. From the observation of parallel effects of $Ca^{2+}$ channel antagonists on $I_{ca}$ and $\Delta{C}_{m}$, it was concluded that L, N, and also P type $Ca^{2+}$ channels served and $Ca^{2+}$ source for exocytosis and no difference was observed in their efficiency to evoke exocytosis amost L, N, and P type $Ca^{2+}$ channels.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2006

Cardiac chambers serve as mechanosensory systems during the haemodynamic or mechanical disturbances. To examine a possible role of fluid pressure (FP) in the regulatien of atrial $Ca^{2+}$ signaling we investigated the effect of FP on L-type $Ca^{2+}$ current $(I_{Ca})$ in rat ventricular myocytes using whole-cell patch-clamp technique. FP $(\sim40cm\;H_2O)$ was applied to whole area of single myocytes with electronically controlled micro-jet system. FP suppressed the magnitude of peak $I_{Ca}$ by $\cong25\%$ at 0 mV without changing voltage dependence of the current-voltage relationship. FP significantly accelerated slow component in inactivation of $I_{Ca}$, but not its fast component. Analysis of steady-state inactivation curve revealed a reduction of the number of $Ca^{2+}$ channels available for activity in the presence of FP. Dialysis of myocytes with high concentration of immobile $Ca^{2+}$ buffer partially attenuated the FP-induced suppression of $I_{Ca}$. In addition, the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ buttering abolished the FP-induced acceleration of slow component in $I_{Ca}$ inactivation. These results indicate that FP sup-presses $Ca^{2+}$ currents, in part, by increasing cytosolic $Ca^{2+}$ concentration.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1-6
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• 1986

The hydration of $C_3A$ and $C_3A-CaSO_4$.$2H_2O$ was investigated with varying concentration (0.1-1.0%) of sodium gluconate solution. gluconate solution. Sodium gluconate accelerates cation dissolution from $C_3A$ for the first several minutes but depresses the rate of heat evolution in the course of $C_3A$ hydration. The hydration of $C_3A$ in the presence of sodium gluconate was modified such that the formation of the intermediate hydrate C4AH$\chi$ crystal was much reduced and most of the product became amorphous. The retardation of $C_3A-CaSO_4$.$2H_2O$ hydration in the presence of sodium gluconate was controlled by the competitive adsorption between gluconate anion and $SO_4^{-2}$ onto $C_3A$ surface.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

The effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein(OxLDL) and its major lipid constituent lysophosphatidylcholine(LPC) on $Ca^{2+}$ entry were investigated in cultured human umbilical endothelial cells(HUVECs) using fura-2 fluorescence and patch-clamp methods. OxLDL or LPC increased intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration($[Ca^{2+}]_i$), and the increase of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ by OxLDL or by LPC was inhibited by $La^{3+}$ or heparin. LPC failed to increase $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ in the presence of an antioxidant tempol. In addition, store-operated $Ca^{2+}$ entry(SOC), which was evoked by intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ store depletion in $Ca^{2+}$-free solution using the sarcoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}$ pump blocker, 2, 5-di-t-butyl-l,4-benzohydroquinone(BHQ), was further enhanced by OxLDL or by LPC. Increased SOC by OxLDL or by LPC was inhibited by U73122. In voltage-clamped cells, OxLDL or LPC increased $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ and simultaneously activated non-selective cation(NSC) currents. LPC-induced NSC currents were inhibited by 2-APB, $La^{3+}$ or U73122, and NSC currents were not activated by LPC in the presence of tempol. Furthermore, in voltage-clamped HUVECs, OxLDL enhanced SOC and evoked outward currents simultaneously. Clamping intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ to 1 ${\mu}M$ activated large-conductance $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+(BK_{ca})$ current spontaneously, and this activated $BK_{ca}$ current was further enhanced by OxLDL or by LPC. From these results, we concluded that OxLDL or its main component LPC activates $Ca^{2+}$-permeable $Ca^{2+}$-activated NSC current and $BK_{ca}$ current simultaneously, thereby increasing SOC.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 1990

We investigated the interaction of auxin and Ca2+ on coleoptile segment elongation in seedlings of Zea mays L. Seedlings imbibed and raised either in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 (HC), or in the absence of Ca2+ (LC) were used. Exposure to 10-5M auxin of coleoptiles from either HC or LC seedlings resulted in strong promotion of elongation. However, longer latent period (90 min) of the auxin effect was observed in HC than in LC seedlings (20 min). The length of latent period observed in HC coleoptiles was proportional to the concentration of CaCl2. The latent period of auxin effect observed in HC seedlings was abolished by pretreatment of the coleoptiles with TMB-8 which inhibits IP3-induced Ca2+ release from the tonoplasts. In segments of LC seedlings, the promotive effect of IAA (10-5M) was abolished by treatment with 5 mM calcium but was reversible upon treatment of the segments with 5 mM EGTA. These results suggest that the effect of auxin on coleoptile elongation is closely related to intracellular Ca2+ level.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.64-69
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• 2003

To analyze vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase in liver cells, rat hepatocytes were isolated and attached to collagen-coated cover slips. Using fura-2, a $Ca^{2+}$-sensing dye, changes in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration by vasopressin were monitored. Results in this communication suggested that vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ increase were composed of both $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal $Ca^{2+}$ stores and influx from the plasma membrane. The $Ca^{2+}$ influx consisted of two distinguishable components. One was dependent on the presence of vasopressin and the other was not. SK＆F96365 blocked vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx in a dose-dependent manner. Vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores diminished in a primary culture of hepatocytes according to the culture time. However, changes in vasopressin-induced $Ca^{2+}$ influx across the plasma membrane differed from changes in the $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal stores, suggesting two separate signalings from receptor activation to internal stores and to the plasma membrane.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 1996

In the present study, we observed change in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$$([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ as measured with the fluorescent $Ca^{2+}-indicator$ fura-2 in association with force development of the rat basilar arteries during activation by$K^+$ depolarizing solution and U46619, a thromboxane analogue, in the absence and the presence of calcitonin-gent related peptide (CGRP). CGRP (30 and 100 nM) caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of U46619-induced contraction with decrease in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, whereas it did not exert any effect on the $K^+$ (90 mM)-induced contraction and increase in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, Further, $[Ca^{2+}]_i-force$ relationships were determined by plotting the ratio of $F_{340}/F_{380}$ $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ as a function of the force induced by U46619, and the results were compared with those obtained in the presence of CGRP. The curves obtained in the presence of CGRP (30 and 100 nM) were significantly moved to downward without right shift of the curves suggesting that CGRP inhibited the U46619-induced contraction only by mediation of reduction in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ with out any change in the sensitivity of contractile apparatus to $Ca^{2+}$. The CGRP-induced attenuation of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ and force development was significantly inhibited under pretreatment with CGRP $(8{\sim}37)$ fragment (100 nM), a CGRP1 receptor antagonist. Both the reduced contraction and reduction in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ caused by CGRP were fully reversed by pretreatment with charybdotoxin (100 nM) and iberiotoxin (100 nM), large conductance $Ca^{2+}-activated$ $K^+$ channel blockers, but not by apamin (300 nM), a small conductance $Ca^{2+}-activated$ $K^+$ channel blocker, and glibenclamide ( 1 ${\mu}M$), an ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channel blocker. In conclusion, it is suggested that the CGRP1 receptor, upon activation by CGRP, are coupled to opening of $Ca^{2+}-activated$ $K^+$ channel and cause to decrease in $[Ca^{2+}]_i$, thereby leading to vasodilation of the rat basilar artery. However, it is not defined that the mechanism underlying vasodilation whether the $K^+$ channel blockers, charybdotoxin and iberiotoxin directly block the CGRP receptors and that CGRP-evoked relaxation is dependent on the cyclic AMP or $K^+$ channel opening or both actions.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.85-90
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• 1992

The previous report (Chung and Lee, 1992) in our laboratory demonstrated that the protein kinase C (PKC) activator, TPA, promotes the elongation of corn coleoptiles significantly. To understand the role of TPA on the growth, substrates of PKC were investigated using PKC partially purified from soybean by DEAE-52 cellulose column. The enzyme activity increased about 5-fold in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$, phosphatidylserine and diolein compared with that in the absence of these reagents. Phosphorylation of both cytosol and membrane proteins by the purified PKC increased in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$ compared with that of EGTA treatment. However, the phosphorylation did not increase markedly by treatment with TPA or phosphatidylserine and diolein in the presence of $Ca^{2+}$ compared with $Ca^{2+}$ alone. The decrease, in phosphorylation of 100, 61 and 43 Kd proteins of the cytosol, and 140, no, 66, 47 and 32 Kd membrane proteins in hypocotyls, and 140, no, 66, 47, 33, 31 and 16 Kd membrane proteins in the root was observed in the presence of PKC inhibitor staurosporine (5T A). These results suggest that subatrates of PKC in soybean may be 110, 63 and 41 Kd proteins of the cytosol, and 140, 110, 66, 47 and 32 Kd membrane proteins in the subapical region of the hypocotyl, and 140, 110, 66, 47, 33, 31 and 16 Kd membrane proteins of the root.e root.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 1992

The effects of $Ca_{2+}$ ion on the formation of micelle colloid of nonionic surfactants, nonylphenol-(ethylene oxide)n [NP-(EO)n: n= 11, 40, 100) were investigated by the iodine solubilization method. The characteristics of spectra depended on the concentration of $Ca_{2+}$ ion and the number of EO unit. Above CMC(critical micelle concentration), the intensity of the CT (charge transfer) band by the addition of $Ca_{2+}$ ion for the NP-(EO)11 and NP-(EO)40 increased and when decreased and for the NP-(EO)In continuously increased. The increase in the intensity of CT band were attributed to the compactness of micelle in the presence of $Ca_{2+}$ ion. These phenomena may be explained by the fact that the linear ethylene oxide (EO) chain, relatively free to assume various configuration in aqueous solution, could form a pseudo-crown ether structures capable of forming complexes with $Ca_{2+}$ ion.