[ACh and ATP induced calcium mobilization in outer hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea: confocal microscopy].

Effects of acetylcholine (ACh) and ATP as the candidates of efferent neurotransmitter on intracellular Ca2+ concentrations ( [Ca2+]i) of the isolated outer hair cells (OHCs) from guinea pig cochlea were studied with laser scanning confocal microscope. The OHCs were loaded with Ca2+ sensitive dye Fluo-3, whose fluorescent intensity was strongest at the basal end in resting OHC. The presence of ACh gradually increased [Ca2+]i to a higher level at the basal end of OHCs. Continuous application of ATP caused a rapid [Ca2+]i increase followed by a gradual exhaustion throughout the whole OHC. Magnitude of the increase at the apex was greater than that at the base. In OHCs whose calcium had been exhausted by ATP, ACh induced a temporary increase in [Ca2+]i. It seems likely that the ACh-induced [Ca2+]i rise is partly due to an influx of extracellular Ca2+. The bursting nature of ATP-induced [Ca2+]i rise may be a consequence of Ca2+ influx through the ATP-gated cation channels and of the mobilization of intracellular store mediated by ATP.