Stimulus-secretion coupling in rat parietal cells is affected by extracellular magnesium.

We investigated the effects of extracellular magnesium on stimulus-secretion coupling in isolated rat parietal cells. A high concentration of extracellular magnesium (10 mM) decreased basal and carbachol-stimulated calcium levels, whereas low magnesium levels (0.2 mM) had the opposite effect. The calcium-triggered acid secretion was influenced in the same manner. Basal and carbachol-stimulated acid secretion could be enhanced by incubation in a buffer of low magnesium concentration, whereas a high magnesium concentration totally suppressed the carbachol-induced acid secretion. These results demonstrate that magnesium plays a modulative role in calcium-dependent stimulus-secretion coupling in rat parietal cells.