A 45Ca autoradiographic and stereological study of freeze-dried smooth muscle of the guinea pig vas deferens

Two distinct distribution patterns of sarcoplasmic reticulum in two functionally different giant smooth muscle cells of Beroe ovata

The sarcoplasmic reticulum has been studied in radial and longitudinal giant smooth muscle fibres of the marine planktonic invertebrate Beroe. Impregnation with heavy metals has revealed that the smooth component is organised in a longitudinally oriented three-dimensional network of tubules running along the myofilaments. An ultrastructural morphometric analysis has shown that the relative volume of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is the same (1% of the myofilament volume) in both fibres but that the size, number and distribution of the sarcoplasmic reticulum tubules differ significantly. The longitudinal fibres are characterised physiologically by an action potential with a short calcium-dependent plateau that can trigger a short contraction; radial fibres produce action potentials without a plateau and their contraction requires a train of spikes. The sarcoplasmic reticulum tubules in longitudinal fibres are thinner (132 nm in diameter) and more numerous than those in radial fibres (160 nm in diameter). Moreover, the tubules are homogeneously distributed among the myofilaments in radial fibres, whereas they are more numerous in the centre of longitudinal muscles.

The Ca2+-release channel/ryanodine receptor is localized in junctional and corbular sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac muscle

The subcellular distribution of the Ca(2+)-release channel/ryanodine receptor in adult rat papillary myofibers has been determined by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopical studies using affinity purified antibodies against the ryanodine receptor. The receptor is confined to the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) where it is localized to interior and peripheral junctional SR and the corbular SR, but it is absent from the network SR where the SR-Ca(2+)-ATPase and phospholamban are densely distributed. Immunofluorescence labeling of sheep Purkinje fibers show that the ryanodine receptor is confined to discrete foci while the SR-Ca(2+)-ATPase is distributed in a continuous network-like structure present at the periphery as well as throughout interior regions of these myofibers. Because Purkinje fibers lack T-tubules, these results indicate that the ryanodine receptor is localized not only to the peripheral junctional SR but also to corbular SR densely distributed in interfibrillar spaces of the I-band regions. We have previously identified both corbular SR and junctional SR in cardiac muscle as potential Ca(2+)-storage/Ca(2+)-release sites by demonstrating that the Ca2+ binding protein calsequestrin and calcium are very densely distributed in these two specialized domains of cardiac SR in situ. The results presented here provide strong evidence in support of the hypothesis that corbular SR is indeed a site of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release via the ryanodine receptor during excitation contraction coupling in cardiac muscle. Furthermore, these results indicate that the function of the cardiac Ca(2+)-release channel/ryanodine receptor is not confined to junctional complexes between SR and the sarcolemma.

Frog cardiac calsequestrin. Identification, characterization, and subcellular distribution in two structurally distinct regions of peripheral sarcoplasmic reticulum in frog ventricular myocardium

Calsequestrin is a calcium-binding protein known to sequester calcium accumulated in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of muscle cells during relaxation. In the present study, we used affinity-purified antibodies to chicken cardiac calsequestrin to identify a 60,000-Da calsequestrin in frog myocardium. Like previously identified cardiac calsequestrins, it is enriched in cardiac microsomes, it is enriched by biochemical procedures previously used to purify cardiac and skeletal calsequestrins, and it exhibits a pH-dependent shift in its apparent Mr on a two-dimensional gel system. Finally, the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of this 60,000-Da immunoreactive protein purified by fast protein liquid chromatography was identical to that of rabbit skeletal and canine cardiac calsequestrin. Thus, we conclude that this protein corresponds to the calsequestrin isoform in frog ventricular muscle. Frog calsequestrin was localized in discrete foci present at the periphery but absent from the central regions of frog ventricular myocytes as determined by immunofluorescence labeling. Immunoelectron microscopic labeling demonstrated that calsequestrin was confined to the lumen of two structurally distinct regions of the SR, where it was localized in the subsarcolemmal region of the myofibers. One of these appeared to correspond to the terminal SR previously reported to be closely apposed to the sarcolemma of frog myofibers. The other region, although close to the sarcolemma, was not physically joined to it and appeared to correspond to corbular SR. It generally is believed that frog cardiac SR does not provide activator Ca2+ required for excitation-contraction coupling. However, the identification of a calsequestrin isoform very similar to mammalian cardiac calsequestrin that is confined to specialized regions of frog cardiac SR lends support to the idea that frog cardiac SR has the ability to store Ca2+ and thus function in some capacity in frog cardiac muscle contraction.

Effects of temperature and buffer composition on calcium sequestration by sarcoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane of rabbit renal artery

45Ca electron microscopic autoradiography was used to examine the effects of buffer composition and temperature on the distribution of calcium in rabbit renal artery smooth muscle cells. The results show that the relative distribution of calcium is dependent on both the buffer used (Tris or Krebs) and the temperature of the bathing solution (25 degrees C or 34 degrees C). Krebs buffer at 34 degrees C gave the highest relative activity in the plasma membrane, sarcoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria. Buffer and temperature had little effect on the relative activity of the nucleus or cytoplasm. Next, we identified the cellular sites of calcium accumulation after 5, 15, 30, or 60 min exposure to 45Ca in Krebs buffer at 34 degrees C. The results show that sarcoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane are the primary sites of calcium accumulation during influx into these cells. Although the amount of 45Ca in the cell continues to increase with longer exposure, the relative distribution of calcium is essentially the same after 5 or 60 min. The data also indicate that the relative activity of plasma membrane + sarcoplasmic reticulum (a combination site that includes sarcoplasmic reticulum within a mean distance of 275 nm of the plasma membrane) is similar to the membrane alone and is lower than the sarcoplasmic reticulum alone.

Identification of novel proteins unique to either transverse tubules (TS28) or the sarcolemma (SL50) in rabbit skeletal muscle

Novel proteins unique to either transverse tubules (TS28) or the sarcolemma (SL50) have been identified and characterized, and their in situ distribution in rabbit skeletal muscle has been determined using monoclonal antibodies. TS28, defined by mAb IXE112, was shown to have an apparent relative molecular mass of 28,000 D. Biochemical studies showed that TS28 is a minor membrane protein in isolated transverse tubular vesicles. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopical studies showed that TS28 is localized to the transverse tubules and in some subsarcolemmal vesicles possibly corresponding to the subgroup of caveolae connecting the transverse tubules with the sarcolemma. In contrast, TS28 is absent from the lateral portion of the sarcolemma. Immunofluorescence studies also showed that TS28 is more densely distributed in type II (fast) than in type I (slow) myofibers. Although TS28 and the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor are both localized to transverse tubules and subsarcolemmal vesicles, TS28 is not a wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-binding glycoprotein and does not appear to copurify with the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor after detergent solubilization of transverse tubular membranes. SL50, defined by mAb IVD31, was shown to have an apparent relative molecular mass of 50,000 D. Biochemical studies showed that SL50 is not related to the 52,000-D (beta subunit) of the dihydropyridine receptor but does bind to WGA-Sepharose. Immunofluorescence labeling imaged by standard and confocal microscopy showed that SL50 is associated with the sarcolemma but apparently absent from the transverse tubules. Immunofluorescence labeling also showed that the density of SL50 in type II (fast) myofibers is indistinguishable from that of type I (slow) myofibers. The functions of TS28 and SL50 are presently unknown. However, the distinct distribution of TS28 to the transverse tubules and subsarcolemmal vesicles as determined by immunocytochemical labeling suggests that TS28 may be directly involved in excitation-contraction coupling. Our results demonstrate that, although transverse tubules are continuous with the sarcolemma, each of these membranes contain one or more unique proteins, thus supporting the idea that they each have a distinct protein composition.

Subcellular distribution of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor in rabbit skeletal muscle in situ: an immunofluorescence and immunocolloidal gold-labeling study

The subcellular distribution of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor was determined in rabbit skeletal muscle in situ by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. Longitudinal and transverse cryosections (5-8 microns) of rabbit gracilis muscle were labeled with monoclonal antibodies specific against either the alpha 1-subunit (170,000-D polypeptide) or the beta-subunit (52,000-D polypeptide) of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor by immunofluorescence labeling. In longitudinal sections, specific labeling was present only near the interface between the A- and I-band regions of the sarcomeres. In transverse sections, specific labeling showed a hexagonal staining pattern within each myofiber however, the relative staining intensity of the type II (fast) fibers was judged to be three- to fourfold higher than that of the type I (slow) fibers. Specific immunofluorescence labeling of the sarcolemma was not observed in either longitudinal or transverse sections. These results are consistent with the idea that the alpha 1-subunit and the beta-subunit of the purified 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor are densely distributed in the transverse tubular membrane. Immunoelectron microscopical localization with a monoclonal antibody to the alpha 1-subunit of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor showed that the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor is densely distributed in the transverse tubular membrane. Approximately half of these were distributed in close proximity to the junctional region between the transverse tubules and the terminal cisternae. Specific labeling was also present in discrete foci in the subsarcolemmal region of the myofibers. The size and the nonrandom distribution of these foci in the subsarcolemmal region support the possibility that they correspond to invaginations from the sarcolemma called caveolae. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor in skeletal muscle is localized to the transverse tubular membrane and discrete foci in the subsarcolemmal region, possibly caveolae but absent from the lateral portion of the sarcolemma.

Proteoglycan in fast-frozen, freeze-dried, plastic-embedded rabbit arteries

In contrast to glutaraldehyde-fixed vascular tissue with or without staining with cationic dye, the nonfibrous extracellular matrix of fast-frozen, freeze-dried rabbit aorta and renal artery contained a continuous reticulum of fine filaments, closely associated with collagen, elastin, and smooth muscle cells. Three morphologically distinct types of filament were distinguished; one type was selectively sensitive to chondroitinase ABC degradation, and therefore contains chondroitin and/or dermatan sulfate. The remaining filaments of the reticulum may represent the protein core of the proteoglycan monomer, and the hyaluronic acid backbone of the aggregate. Filaments associated with the surface of smooth muscle cells were usually linked to a continuous filament parallel to the cell surface, which was degraded by heparitinase and therefore contains heparan sulfate. The filaments linked directly to the cell surface were not degraded by either enzyme. The preservation of PG in fast-frozen material provides a significant improvement over that obtained by any presently available technique.

Localization of calcium in vas deferens using 45Ca EM autoradiography: relationship to species and the effect of 45Ca removal

The distribution of calcium was determined in the vas deferens of the guinea pig using 45Ca electron microscopic autoradiography of rapidly frozen, freeze-dried, and embedded tissue. A selective accumulation of calcium at the plasma membrane and SR was observed in vas deferens that had been incubated in 45Ca for 65-85 min prior to rapid freezing. Rinsing the tissue in nonradioactive calcium for 6 min prior to rapid freezing significantly altered the distribution of calcium among the plasma membrane, mitochondria, and cytoplasmic matrix. The influence of species on the observed distribution of calcium was also examined. The distribution of calcium in the guinea pig vas deferens was not significantly different from that in the rabbit vas deferens when the tissues were prepared under identical conditions.

The cellular distribution of calcium in freeze-dried rabbit vas deferens using EM autoradiography

The role of calcium in initiating smooth muscle contraction is widely accepted. The sources of this calcium are thought to be located both intracellularly and extracellularly. We have recently developed a method by which the cellular localization of calcium in smooth muscle can be determined. This method involves exposing the tissue to 45Ca, rapidly freezing and vacuum dehydrating the tissue, and preparing the tissue for electron microscopic autoradiography (EM ARG). In the present study the distribution of calcium in control and potassium-contracted tissue of the rabbit vas deferens was compared. No significant differences in distribution were observed in the two treatments. This finding provides morphological support for the hypothesis that the calcium used in potassium-induced contraction is primarily of extracellular origin. In addition, significant sequestration by intracellular organelles does not occur during a potassium contraction. In other experiments, the effect of rinsing tissue in cold calcium prior to freezing was investigated. From these data is appears that calcium is removed from the cytoplasmic matrix, plasma membrane, and organelles in a nonuniform manner. Further investigation into these findings should enable us to characterize more precisely the intracellular redistribution of calcium that occurs as a result of a variety of physiological manipulations.

Mechanical response to noradrenaline in calcium-free solution in the rat vas deferens

Mechanical responses to noradrenaline (NA) were investigated in the rat vas deferens exposed to Ca-free solution containing 0.5 mM-EGTA. A tonic response was produced in Ca-free solution at the epididymal portion, while almost no response could be observed at the prostatic portion. In most experiments NA (10(-4) M) was applied for 4 min, every 20 min. The absolute tension development in Ca-free solution was usually 60-80% of the control tonic response in the presence of 2.4 mM-Ca. The response could be produced repeatedly, even after exposure to Ca-free solution for more than 20 hr, without a significant decrease. During the first hour of exposure to Ca-free solution, the rate of rise and the magnitude of the NA contraction increased and then remained constant, though the relaxation became slow. Transient treatment with 2.4 mM-Ca slightly suppressed the subsequent NA response in Ca-free solution. Similarly, the NA response was smaller during readmission of 0.2-0.5 mM-Ca than that obtained before Ca readmission. A high concentration of verapamil (2 X 10(-4) M) reversibly reduced the NA response by about 70% after 30 min. Theophylline (10 mM) and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (10(-4) M) also reversibly suppressed the NA response, the suppression being about 80%. None of these substances produced a tension change by themselves. The suppressing effect may be mediated via an increase of intracellular cyclic AMP which reduces phosphorylation of myosin. Caffeine (10 mM) and dibutyryl cyclic GMP (10(-4) M) had similar but much weaker effects than theophylline and dibutyryl cyclic AMP. A calmodulin antagonist, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalene sulphonamide (W-7) slowly reduced the NA response. The block was nearly complete after 30 min treatment with 3 X 10(-4) M-W-7, and the recovery was very poor after prolonged exposure. This effect of W-7, which is the same in the presence and absence of Ca, suggests that a Ca-calmodulin reaction is involved in the NA response in Ca-free solution. Fluoride at a concentration higher than 3 mM increased the muscle tone in the absence of external Ca, and transiently potentiated the NA response. In the presence of F-, the relaxation of the NA response was incomplete and the muscle tone increased stepwise after each NA application. When the muscle tone became higher than the NA response in the absence of F-, the NA response was abolished. The action of several metabolic inhibitors (2,4-dinitrophenol, carbonylcyanide chlorophenyl hydrazone, NaCN, monoiodoacetate) was similar to that of F-, suggesting that they release Ca from mitochondria, causing tension development. The observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the contraction of the vas deferens caused by NA in the absence of external Ca depends on the availability of intracellular Ca, stored in mitochondria and released by NA.