Na+-Ca2+ Exchange Curtails Ca2+ before Its Diffusion to Global Ca2+i in the Rat Ventricular Myocyte

In the heart, Na+-Ca2+ exchange (NCX) is the major Ca2+ extrusion mechanism. NCX has been considered as a relaxation mechanism, as it reduces global [Ca2+]i raised during activation. However, if NCX locates in the close proximity to the ryanodine receptor, then NCX would curtail Ca2+ before its diffusion to global Ca2+i. This will result in a global [Ca2+]i decrease especially during its ascending phase rather than descending phase. Therefore, NCX would decrease the myocardial contractility rather than inducing relaxation in the heart. This possibility was examined in this study by comparing NCX-induced extrusion of Ca2+ after its release from SR in the presence and absence of global Ca2+i transient in the isolated single rat ventricular myocytes by using patch-clamp technique in a whole-cell configuration. Global Ca2+i transient was controlled by an internal dialysis with different concentrations of BAPTA added in the pipette. During stimulation with a ramp pulse from +100 mV to -100 mV for 200 ms, global Ca2+i transient was suppressed only mildly, and completely at 1 mmol/L, and 10 mmol/L BAPTA, respectively. In these situations, ryanodine-sensitive inward NCX current was compared using 100micromol/L ryanodine, Na+ depletion, 5 mmol/L NiCl2 and 1micromol/L nifedipine. Surprisingly, the result showed that the ryanodine-sensitive inward NCX current was well preserved after 10 mmol/L BAPTA to 91 % of that obtained after 1 mmol/L BAPTA. From this result, it is concluded that most of the NCX-induced Ca2+ extrusion occurs before the Ca2+ diffuses to global Ca2+i in the rat ventricular myocyte.

Heterogeneity of the SR-dependent Inward Na+-Ca2+ Exchange Current in the Heavily Ca2+-buffered Rat Ventricular Myocytes

Voltage-sensitive release mechanism was pharmacologically dissected from the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in the SR Ca2+ release in the rat ventricular myocytes patch-clamped in a whole-cell mode. SR Ca2+ release process was monitored by using forward-mode Na+-Ca2+ exchange after restriction of the interactions between Ca2+ from SR and Na+-Ca2+ exchange within micro-domains with heavy cytosolic Ca2+ buffering with 10 mM BAPTA. During stimulation every 10 s with a pulse roughly mimicking action potential, the initial outward current gradually turned into a huge inward current of -12.9+/-0.5 pA/pF. From the inward current, two different inward INCXs were identified. One was 10 muM ryanodine-sensitive, constituting 14.2+/-2.3%. It was completely blocked by CdCl2 (0.1 mM and 0.5 mM) and by Na+-depletion. The other was identified by 5 mM NiCl2 after suppression of ICaL and ryanodine receptor, constituting 14.8+/-1.6%. This latter was blocked by either 10 mM caffeine-induced SR Ca2+-depletion or 1 mM tetracaine. IV-relationships illustrated that the latter was activated until the peak in 30~35 mV lower voltages than the former. Overall, it was concluded that the SR Ca2+ release process in the rat ventricular myocytes is mediated by the voltage-sensitive release mechanism in addition to the Ca2+-induced-Ca2+ release.