![]() |
Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2006 July; 27 (7): 843-847; doi: 10.1111/j.1745-7254.2006.00376.x |
| REVIEW | [ Full text ] |
| Cytosolic calcium oscillations in submandibular gland cells1 |
Li SU, Chun-yan MA, Yan-dong ZHOU, Yan-hong JIA, Zong-jie CUI2 Institute of Cell Biology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China |
|
Calcium oscillations can, by default, encode diverse and specific signals by different modes of modulation. Frequency modulation is illustrated by the activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II at unit Hz, and of calcineurin at 10 mHz frequencies, respectively. The submandibular gland secretory axis is characterized by both potassium and osmolarity gradients from the luminal side of the secretory cells. Such gradients may play significant physiological roles through the feedback modulation of cholinergic stimulation. High potassium transforms plateau calcium increases induced by cholinergic stimulation of the submandibular acinar cells into oscillatory calcium increases. The ductal cells may have similar mechanisms of feedback modulation both by high potassium and by hypo-osmolarity. Such feedback mechanisms could modulate the decision-making process for determining which secretory products are selectively released after nerve stimulation. |
Keywords: submandibular gland; secretory axis; calcium oscillation |
| 1 Project supported by grants from NSFC (39825112, 30472048, 30540420524), Ministry of Education (No 104186), and NSF Beijing (No 6062014). |
|
[ Full text ] |
Copyright©APS 2009 Add: 294 Tai-Yuan Road, Shanghai 200031, China Phn: 86-21-5492-2821 Fax: 86-21-5492-2823 E-mail: aps@mail.shcnc.ac.cn |