The role of cGMP in the regulation of rabbit airway ciliary beat frequency.

The involvement of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and their interaction with the Ca2+-dependent mechanisms in the regulation of ciliary activity are not well understood. To investigate how cGMP regulates ciliary activity, changes in ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) of rabbit tracheal ciliated cells in response to 8-bromo-cGMP (Br-cGMP) were simultaneously quantified using digital, high-speed phase-contrast and fluorescence imaging. Br-cGMP induced a response in ciliary activity that could be separated into two parts.

Oscillations in ciliary beat frequency and intracellular calcium concentration in rabbit tracheal epithelial cells induced by ATP.

To investigate how Ca(2+) regulates airway ciliary activity, changes in ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) of rabbit tracheal ciliated cells, in response to ATP, were simultaneously quantified with high-speed phase-contrast and fast fluorescence imaging. [ATP] 1 but < 16 microM induced a similar increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and CBF but this was followed by oscillations in CBF and [Ca(2+)](i).