Ichikawa J, Furuya K, Miyata S, Nakashima T, Kiyohara T
Kyoto Institute of Technology, Department of Applied Biology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Japan.
Cell Biochem Funct. 2000 Jun;18(2):147-50. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-0844(200006)18:2<147::AID-CBF864>3.0.CO;2-W.
Developmental changes in capacitative Ca(2+) entry and Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores were measured using fura-2 fluorescence method during the pregnancy period (day 3-;18) in mouse mammary epithelial cells. Ca(2+) release was identified with the transient intracellular Ca(2+) (Ca(2+)) increase induced by thapsigargin addition in a Ca(2+)-free solution. Capacitative Ca(2+) entry was measured by the transient Ca(2+) increase induced by re-addition of extracellular Ca(2+) after depletion of Ca(2+) stores by thapsigargin. The capacitative Ca(2+) entry was greatest at the early stage of pregnancy (i.e. day 3 of pregnancy) and decreased as pregnancy progressed, while Ca(2+) release remained unchanged throughout the developmental stages. These findings indicate that in contrast to Ca(2+) release, a close correlation exists between capacitative Ca(2+) entry and pregnancy-induced development in mammary epithelial cells.