Paradoxical facilitation of exocytosis by inhibition of L-type calcium channels of bovine chromaffin cells.

Ca(2+) entry through the L-subtype (α(1D), Ca(v)1,3) of voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) seems to selectively regulate the endocytotic response after the application of a single depolarizing pulse to voltage-clamped bovine chromaffin cells. Here we have found that L channel blockade with nifedipine transformed the exocytotic responses elicited by a double-pulse protocol, from depression to facilitation. This apparent paradoxical effect was mimicked by pharmacological interventions that directly block endocytosis namely, dynasore, calmidazolium, GTP-γS and GDP-βS. This reinforces our view that Ca(2+) entry through PQ channels (α(1A); Ca(v)2.1) regulates fast exocytosis while Ca(2+) entry through L channels preferentially controls rapid endocytosis.