Electron-microscopic demonstration of the distribution of calcium deposits in the exocrine pancreas of the rat after application of carbachol, atropine, cholecystokinin, and procaine.

In an attempt to identify a cellular Ca2+-pool, from which calcium is released when secretagogues are applied, tissue fragments of the rat exocrine pancreas were incubated and fixed with glutaraldehyde in the presence of calcium. By means of this procedure electron-dense deposits were found on plasma membranes. X-ray microanalysis showed that these deposits contain calcium. Stimulation of tissue fragments with the use of the secretagogues carbachol or cholecystokinin reduced the number of deposits by about 80%. When the antagonist atropine was applied after carbachol stimulation, deposits reappeared on cell membranes, which then disappeared again after a second stimulation with cholecystokinin. In the presence of procaine, carbachol was inhibited and only slightly reduced the Ca2+-deposits on the plasma membranes. These results suggest that a calcium pool, from which calcium is released to induce enzyme secretion on stimulation, is located in the cell membrane.