Academic literature on the topic 'Calcium fluxes'

Intracellular calcium is a major determinant of a wide variety of cell functions and thus of organ function. In order to get a clear picture of the intracellular calcium status it is preferable to assess the content of the various intracellular calcium pools as well as the characteristics of the transmembrane calcium movements, Le., the magnitude of the transmembrane Ca2+ flux upon stimulation and the rate of the subsequent return to baseline levels. The first aim of this study was to establish and evaluate the methods in the laboratory. The methods investigated include atomic absorption spectrometry, graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of the total cell calcium content, fluorescence spectrophotometry for the determinations of intracellular free Ca2+ and transmembrane Ca2+ movements and transmission electron microscopy for the localisation of intracellular calcium. The methods eventually identified as feasible included fluorescence spectrophotometry for the determination of intracellular free Ca2+ and transmembrane Ca2+ movements and transmission electron microscopy for the localisation of intracellular calcium. The newly developed fluorescent calcium indicator, fura-PE3, was presently shown to be the most reliable fluorescent indicator for the intracellular free Ca2+ determinations. The best method for the calcium localisation by transmission electron microscopy was an adaptation of the antimonate precipitation technique. The following objectives were set in order to contribute to the knowledge in chronic renal failure; examination of the intracellular free Ca2+ content in the neutrophils of end stage renal failure patients on maintenance haemodialysis treatment, as the result of renal failure, dialysis treatment and medication combined; examination of the characteristics of the transmembrane Ca2+ movements; investigation of the intracellular calcium distribution in the neutrophils; exploration of a possible link between the alterations in intracellular calcium status and factors known to influence the calcium status, including the lipid composition of the membrane, the oxidative status as reflected by anti-oxidant vitamin levels, as well as the levels of parathyroid hormone, and ionised serum calcium. This study involved 14 chronic renal failure patients on maintenance haemodialysis. An increase in intracellular free Ca2+, the magnitude of the transmembrane Ca2+ flux upon fMLP stimulation and an increase in the rate of the subsequent decrease in intracellular free calcium were found. In separating the patients into those receiving rHuEPO and those not receiving rHuEPO, it was seen that the significance in the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ could be ascribed to the values obtained in those patients receiving rHuEPO - despite the fact that they were the only patients receiving calcium channel blockers. No overt indications of oxidative stress could be detected by anti-oxidant vitamin levels. Nevertheless, a decrease in the content of specific membrane fatty acids occurred, supporting the previous suggestions of the presence of a mild chronic inflammatory condition in the chronic renal failure patient on maintenance haemodialysis treatment. These results suggest that factors other than those associated with uraemia, such as rHuEPO administration, might result in an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ in cells of CRF/MHT patients. The magnitude of the rHuEPD-induced increase in intracellular free Ca2+ and the effects of the various calcium channel blockers need urgent further investigation as ineffective counteraction of the rHuEPO effect, as indicated by the relative ineffectivity of Norvasc, may have serious side-effects.<br>Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2010.<br>Physiology<br>unrestricted

Myocardial reperfusion injury is thought to be caused by reperfusion induced i) cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload and/or, ii) the formation of oxygen derived freeradicals. At the start of this study, data implicating cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload in the genesis of reversible reperfusion injury were inconclusive. Although several workers have approached this problem by measurements of cytosolic calcium ions, it was my aim to examine the potential sources of such calcium overload. The experiments reported in this thesis were therefore designed to examine the role of altered intracellular and transsarcolemmal Ca²⁺ fluxes in the genesis of reperfusion stunning and arrhythmias. The study was also aimed at elucidating the possible sources and entry pathways contributing to this proposed cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload. In order to investigate the possible role of altered reperfusion Ca²⁺ fluxes in reperfusion injury, we exposed the isolated working, and Langendorff perfused rat heart model to ischaemia and reperfusion to induce reperfusion stunning and arrhythmias. Hearts were pre-treated (before ischaemia) or reperfused with pharmacological compounds, or by interventions known to enhance or inhibit intracellular or transsarcolemmal Ca²⁺ fluxes. The severity of reperfusion stunning (mechanical dysfunction) was measured by reperfusion aortic output, coronary flow and left ventricular pressure. The incidence of reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias was measured by the incidence of ventricular tachycardia and/ or fibrillation. In selected studies, the metabolic status of hearts was evaluated using biochemical assays performed on myocardial tissue samples. Data obtained in these studies indicate that increased Ca²⁺ fluxes through sarcolemmal L-type Ca²⁺ channels during early reperfusion exacerbate stunning, while inhibition of these fluxes with the Ca²⁺ antagonist drug nisoldipine or by Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺ improve reperfusion function. These data also suggest that although interventions increasing Ca²⁺ fluxes early in reperfusion exacerbate reperfusion stunning, these same interventions improve reperfusion function when performed later. The data also indicate that Ca²⁺ may enter the myocyte indirectly via activation of the Na⁺/H⁺ and Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchanger during reperfusion. Inhibition of Na⁺/H⁺ exchange activity by HOE 694 during reperfusion attenuated reperfusion stunning and arrhythmias. Both activation of the Na⁺/H⁺ (and Na⁺/Ca²⁺) exchanger and Ca²⁺ influx via the Ca²⁺ channel could contribute to reperfusion induced Ca²⁺ overload and subsequent injury. The study also showed that altered intracellular Ca²⁺ oscillations play a role in reperfusion stunning and arrhythmias as shown by the use of the SR Ca²⁺ release channel blocker, ryanodine. Inhibition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ A TP-ase pump by two novel inhibitors, thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid, during ischaemia and early reperfusion improved reperfusion function and reduced the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias. function when unphysiologically high concentrations of the peptide were infused into the heart during reperfusion. Taken together, these data suggest that: 1) Ca²⁺ fluxes during early reperfusion (intracellular and transsarcolemmal) play a role in reperfusion injury, 2) that both the Ca²⁺ channel and Na⁺/H⁺ exchange activity contribute to reperfusion injury by possibly contributing to cytosolic Ca²⁺ overload and that, 3) altered intracellular Ca²⁺ oscillations through the SR play a role in both stunning and arrhythmias. Thus the proposal is that modulation of Ca²⁺ fluxes through either the sarcolemma or the sarcoplasmic reticulum, lessen reperfusion injury (stunning and arrhythmias). Although these data do not provide direct evidence of reperfusion Ca²⁺ overload, they support the concept that calcium ions play a role in the genesis of reversible reperfusion injury.

Whole body calcium influx, branchial calcium efflux, and renal Ca$\sp{2+}$ excretion were measured in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) either exposed to environmental hypercapnia or infused intra-arterially with NaHCO$\sb3$. These experiments were performed to assess the potential impact on Ca$\sp{2+}$ balance of the changes in gill morphology that are known to accompany acid-base disturbances in this species. After 48 hours of environmental hypercapnia, gill filamental chloride cell fractional area was significantly reduced. Despite this reduction, and the presumed involvement of the chloride cell in calcium influx, whole body calcium influx was increased after 12 hours of hypercapnia and remained elevated for 48 hours. Branchial calcium efflux was unaltered during hypercapnia exposure, whereas renal Ca$\sp{2+}$ excretion was elevated over preflux values only at 6 hours of hypercapnia. Measurement of the kinetics of whole body calcium influx after 48 hours of hypercapnia revealed a significant increase in the maximal uptake rate of Ca$\sp{2+}$ yet the affinity constant of Ca$\sp{2+}$ uptake was unaffected. Measurements of high-affinity. Ca$\sp{2+}$-ATPase activities and ATP-dependent Ca$\sp{2+}$ transport of gill basolateral membrane vesicles revealed that the ATP-dependent Ca$\sp{2+}$ extrusion mechanism of the gills was not affected by hypercapnia. The results of this study clearly show that the reduced chloride cell surface area that accompanies hypercapnia in trout does not impair calcium homeostasis. Whole body Ca$\sp{2+}$ influx was significantly increased after 6 hours of NaHCO$\sb3$ infusion and remained elevated throughout the duration of the experiment. Branchial and renal Ca$\sp{2+}$ effluxes were largely unaffected by NaHCO$\sb3$ infusion. Plasma total Ca$\sp{2+}$ concentrations were significantly decreased after 6 hours of NaHCO$\sb3$ infusion and remained so until 48 hours. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The flux of CO2 between the ocean and the atmosphere is an important measure in determining local, global, and regional, as well as short term and long term carbon budgets. In this study, air-sea CO2 fluxes measured using a floating chamber were used to examine the spatial and temporal variability of CO2 fluxes in Florida Bay. Measurements of dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity obtained concurrently with chamber measurements of CO2 flux allowed calculation of ΔpCO2 from flux measurements obtained at zero wind velocity. Floating chamber measurements of ΔpCO2 were subsequently coupled with wind speed data to provide a simple yet reliable means of predicting absolute flux values. Florida Bay is a marine-dominated, sub-tropical estuary located at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. Spatial variability within the bay reveals four distinct regions that appear to be affected by a variety of physical, chemical and biological processes. In the eastern part of the bay, the waters tend to be oversaturated with respect to CO2, likely due to the input of freshwater from Taylor Slough. The central portion of the bay is characterized by a number of extremely shallow semi-isolated basins with limited exchange with the rest of the bay. This area is typically undersaturated with respect to CO2 and provides a sink for atmospheric CO2. Both the northern and southern regions were highly variable both spatially and temporally.