Molecular basis for pacemaker cells in epithelia.

Intercellular signaling is highly coordinated in excitable tissues such as heart, but the organization of intercellular signaling in epithelia is less clear. We examined Ca(2+) signaling in hepatoma cells expressing the hepatocyte gap junction protein connexin32 (cx32) or the cardiac gap junction protein cx43, plus a fluorescently tagged V(1a) vasopressin receptor (V(1a)R). Release of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3)) in wild type cells increased Ca(2+) in the injected cell but not in neighboring cells, while the Ca(2+) signal spread to neighbors when gap junctions were expressed.

Diene chirality and cotton effects of nonhomoannular cisoid conjugated dienes: circular dichroism and crystal structure of a steroidal 19-nor-1(10),9(11)-diene derived from Westphalen's diol diacetate.

Nonhomoannular cisoid conjugated dienes exhibit negative lowest energy pi-->pi* Cotton effects when they have P diene chirality and positive CEs when they have M diene chirality. We investigated this relationship further with a variety of such dienes by MM2 conformational energy-minimization calculations and by an X-ray crystal structure of a steroidal 19 nor 1(10),9(11) diene. CEs are stronger when each double bond of the diene is endocyclic in a different ring and weaker when only one of the double bonds is endocyclic or when neither double bond is endocyclic.

Ca2+ waves require sequential activation of inositol trisphosphate receptors and ryanodine receptors in pancreatic acini.

Background & Aims: The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) receptor (InsP3R) and the ryanodine receptor (RyR) are the principal Ca2+-release channels in cells and are believed to serve distinct roles in cytosolic Ca2+ (Ca(i)2+) signaling. This study investigated whether these receptors instead can release Ca2+ in a coordinated fashion.

Methods: Apical and basolateral Ca(i)2+ signals were monitored in rat pancreatic acinar cells by time-lapse confocal microscopy.

Stimulation of ATP secretion in the liver by therapeutic bile acids.

ATP receptors are ubiquitously expressed and are potential targets for the therapy of a number of disorders. However, delivery of ATP or other nucleotides to specific tissues is problematic, and no pharmacological means to stimulate the release of endogenous ATP has been described. We examined the effects of the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on ATP release into bile, since this bile acid is the only agent known to be of therapeutic benefit in secretory disorders of the liver, and since its mechanism of action is not established.

Primitive organization of cytosolic Ca(2+) signals in hepatocytes from the little skate Raja erinacea.

Cytosolic Ca(2+) (Ca(i)(2+)) signals begin as polarized, inositol 1, 4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-mediated Ca(i)(2+) waves in mammalian epithelia, and this signaling pattern directs secretion together with other cell functions. To investigate whether Ca(i)(2+) signaling is similarly organized in elasmobranch epithelia, we examined Ca(i)(2+) signaling patterns and InsP3 receptor (InsP3R) expression in hepatocytes isolated from the little skate, Raja erinacea. Ca(i)(2+) signaling was examined by confocal microscopy, InsP3R expression by immunoblot, and the subcellular distribution of InsP3Rs by immunochemistry.